Veteran Juju and Highlife singer Iyun Janet Ajilore, popularly known as Saint Janet, complained of sudden chest pain and difficulty breathing before she died shortly after arriving at the hospital, her children have revealed.
The controversial musician, celebrated for her energetic stage performances and unfiltered party tracks, passed away on Saturday, August 1, 2026. News of her death was first shared the following day by publisher Otunba Femi Davies.
Her children gave a detailed account of her final hours in an interview with Alore TV. According to her daughter Omowunmi, Saint Janet performed at an overnight show in Sango, Ogun State, the previous night without any sign of illness. She received applause from the audience and even stayed behind to speak with the organiser.
“She performed the previous night. People even celebrated her with applause. We did not suspect anything. After the show, we came home and slept,” Omowunmi said.
The next day, the singer went to the market, returned home around 6pm, and insisted on cooking her own meal.
After finishing the cooking, she checked around the house for other chores. Then the sudden change happened.
“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 recounted.
Family members quickly took her to the hospital. She was admitted, given oxygen, and attended to almost immediately. It was not up to 10 minutes before she lost her pulse.
Her son Orinayo confirmed the rapid turn of events.
“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.”
Another daughter, Fola, said she only learnt of the death upon arriving at the hospital.
“She complained of chest pain. 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 also described her mother as caring:
“She was a good mother. She always ensured that people around her eat.”
Saint Janet’s manager later disclosed that she had called him on the day of her death to say she was preparing soup and would call back. The family has set up a burial committee. A nine-day period of prayer and thanksgiving is ongoing, with the funeral scheduled for August 25 and 26, 2026.
The Nigerian entertainment industry continues to mourn the loss of the singer known for her bold style and lively live shows that earned her a loyal following despite frequent controversies over her explicit lyrics.