The children of veteran Nigerian Juju and Highlife musician, Iyun Janet Ajilore popularly known as Saint Janet have shared details about her final moments, revealing that she complained of chest pain and had difficulty breathing shortly before her passing.
In a recent interview with Alore TV, posted on YouTube on Tuesday, her daughter Omowunmi recounted that Saint Janet had performed at a show in Sango, Ogun State, the night before her death, showing no signs of illness.
She performed the previous night. People celebrated her with applause. We didn’t suspect anything. After the show, we returned home and slept because it was an overnight event, she explained.
Omowunmi further revealed that the following day, her mother went to the market and returned around 6 p.m., insisting on preparing her own meal. Later, Omowunmi noticed her mother clutching her chest.
After she finished cooking, she checked around the house to see if there was anything else to do. I noticed she was holding her chest. She said she felt like something wanted to drop off her chest, and her breathing became irregular, she said.
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Saint Janet asked to be taken to the hospital. “It was my uncle and my three siblings who took her to the hospital. They said that after she was admitted and placed on oxygen, it wasn’t up to 10 minutes before she passed away,” Omowunmi added.
Her son Orinayo also confirmed that the singer was attended to immediately upon arrival at the hospital but lost her pulse soon after.
I was told she was having difficulty breathing. We took her to the hospital, and they attended to her immediately. It was when they were checking for a pulse that she passed, he said.
Another daughter, Fola, said she arrived at the hospital only to learn of her mother’s death. She complained of chest pain. My sister can explain better. She wasn’t sick. They said she went to the market to buy foodstuff.
I even saw the soup she was preparing. Then they called me and told me she was gone, Fola recounted. She described Saint Janet as a caring mother who always ensured those around her were well-fed.
Saint Janet’s longtime manager also confirmed that she showed no signs of illness during her last performance.
We went for a show at Sango. After performing, she joined the audience and spoke with the organizer. She sang well and did not show any sign of sickness, he said. He added that she called him on the day she died, mentioning she was cooking and would call him back.
The family has established a committee to oversee her burial arrangements. A nine-day period of prayer and thanksgiving is underway, with her funeral scheduled for August 25 and 26.
Saint Janet’s death, announced by publisher and socialite Otunba Femi Davies in a Facebook post on Sunday, has left Nigeria’s entertainment industry in mourning.
Davies described her as a renowned Juju and Highlife musician celebrated for her vibrant live performances, energetic stage presence, and unique style. She passed away on Saturday after a brief illness, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Nigeria’s Juju music community and beyond.
