Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The final hours of veteran Juju and Highlife singer Iyun Janet Oluwatoyosi Ajilore, popularly known as Saint Janet, have been laid bare by her grieving children, who recounted how their mother complained of chest pain and difficulty breathing shortly before her sudden death on August 1, 2026, at the age of 58. In an emotional interview with Alore TV, her children—Omowunmi, Orinayo, and Fola Ayilore—painted a picture of a woman who had appeared vibrant and healthy just hours before tragedy struck, performing at an overnight show in Sango, Ogun State, and going about her daily routine without any sign of the illness that would claim her life.
The singer's daughter Omowunmi said her mother had performed energetically the night before her death and returned home without any cause for concern. "She performed the previous night. People even celebrated her with applause. We did not suspect anything. After the show we came home and slept. The show was overnight," Omowunmi recounted. The following day, Saint Janet visited the market, returned home around 6 p.m., and insisted on cooking her own meal. But as she finished preparing the food, her daughter noticed a troubling change. "After she finished cooking, she checked around the house to see if there was anything else for her to do. I later noticed she was holding her chest. She said she felt like something wanted to drop off her chest. Her breathing was no longer regular," Omowunmi recalled.
The singer's condition deteriorated rapidly. She requested to be taken to the hospital, and her relatives rushed her there. "It was my uncle and my three other siblings that took her to the hospital. They said when they got to the hospital, it was not up to 10 minutes that she was admitted and was given oxygen," Omowunmi said. Despite the immediate medical attention, her son Orinayo said the outcome was devastating. "I was told that she was having difficulty in breathing. We took her to the hospital, and she was being attended to immediately. It was when they were looking for pulse that she gave up," he stated, describing how medical staff lost her pulse shortly after she was admitted.
Another daughter, Fola, said she arrived at the hospital only to be told that her mother had already passed. "She complained of chest pain. It is my sister that can explain better. She was not sick. They said she went to the market to buy foodstuff. I also saw the soup she was preparing. They came to call me that she was dead," Fola said. She described her mother as a caring woman who always ensured that people around her had food. "She was a good mother. She always ensured that people around her eat," she said.
The singer's manager, who worked with her for several years, corroborated the children's account, stating that Saint Janet showed no sign of illness during her final performance. "We went for a show at Sango. After performing, she went back to sit among the audience, and she spoke with the organiser. She sang well and did not show any sign of sickness," he said. He added that the singer had called him on the day of her death and told him she was preparing soup, promising to return his call later.
The news of Saint Janet's death was first announced on Sunday, August 2, 2026, by publisher and socialite Otunba Femi Davies, who wrote on Facebook: "St Janet (Iyun Janet Ajilore), a popular Nigerian Juju and Highlife musician known for her vibrant live performances, energetic stage presence and socially unfiltered party tracks, is dead. She died after a brief illness on Saturday." The veteran entertainer, fondly called "Mama Yabis," was widely known for her energetic stage performances and distinctive Juju style, which earned her a loyal following within Nigeria's Juju music community and among fans of traditional Highlife music. Throughout her career, she built a reputation for her fearless, sometimes controversial, lyrical style, which paved the way for other female artists to embrace unconventional themes.
The family has since constituted a committee to coordinate burial arrangements. A nine-day period of prayers and thanksgiving has commenced, and funeral activities have been scheduled for August 25 and 26, 2026. The family appealed to fans and well-wishers to continue to remember them in their prayers. The sudden passing of Saint Janet has thrown Nigeria's Juju and Highlife music industry into mourning, as fans and colleagues alike remember a singer whose vibrant performances and socially unfiltered party tracks made her a beloved figure in Nigerian music. As her children continue to grieve, their heartbreaking account serves as a stark reminder of how quickly life can slip away, even for those who seem to shine brightest on stage.
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