Saint Janet’s Final Hours: Family Reveals Chest Pain, Breathing Difficulty Before Death

Veteran Nigerian Juju and Highlife musician Iyun Janet Ajilore, popularly known as Saint Janet, complained of chest pain and experienced difficulty breathing shortly before her death, her children have disclosed.

The family shared details of the singer’s final hours during an interview with Alore TV, published on YouTube on Tuesday.

According to her daughter, Omowunmi, Saint Janet had performed at an overnight event in Sango, Ogun State, the night before her death and showed no obvious signs of illness.

She said the singer returned home after the performance, having been applauded by those who attended the show, and went to bed without raising any health concerns.

The following day, Saint Janet reportedly went to the market and returned home at about 6 p.m.

Omowunmi said her mother, who had appeared fine earlier, insisted on preparing food herself.

It was after she finished cooking that the family noticed a change in her condition.

“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.

She said Saint Janet subsequently asked to be taken to a hospital.

According to her, the singer was taken to the hospital by her brother and three other children, where she was admitted and placed on oxygen shortly after arrival.

Her son, Orinayo, said the medical team attended to his mother immediately but later discovered that she had lost her pulse.

“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 said.

Another daughter, Fola, said she was informed that her mother had died after arriving at the hospital.

She recalled that Saint Janet had complained of chest pain, adding that the family had not been aware of any illness before the incident.

Fola described her mother as a caring woman who regularly ensured that people around her were well fed.

Saint Janet’s manager also said there had been no indication that the singer was unwell during her final performance in Sango.

According to him, she performed normally, interacted with the event organiser and later sat among members of the audience.

“She sang well and did not show any sign of sickness,” he said.

The manager added that Saint Janet contacted him by phone on the day of her death and told him she was preparing soup before saying she would call him back later.

The family has since set up a committee to oversee arrangements for her funeral.

A nine-day prayer and thanksgiving programme has commenced, while the family has announced August 25 and 26 for the funeral activities.

Saint Janet’s death was first announced on Sunday by publisher and socialite Otunba Femi Davies, who shared the news in a Facebook post.

The veteran singer’s death has drawn attention from colleagues, fans and members of Nigeria’s traditional music community, with tributes continuing to follow the news of her passing.