Nigeria’s entertainment circle is still processing the death of veteran Juju and Highlife musician Iyun Janet Oluwatoyosi Ajilore, popularly known as Saint Janet. News of her passing broke on Sunday, August 2, 2026, and since then, one question has followed almost every tribute and headline: how old was Saint Janet when she died?
It turns out the answer isn’t as straightforward as fans would like.
How Saint Janet’s Death Was Announced
Publisher and socialite Otunba Femi Davies broke the news of her death on his social media pages in the early hours of Sunday. According to his post, the singer, fondly called “Mama Yabis” by her fans, died on Saturday, August 1, 2026, after a brief illness. Several reports later added that the illness was complicated by diabetes.
Gospel juju musician Akinola Ayoola Michael, known professionally as Alayo Singer, also confirmed the news on Instagram, sharing a candlelit tribute and a short prayer for her soul. Tributes have continued to pour in from colleagues, fans, and members of Nigeria’s Juju and Highlife community, many of whom described her as a fearless performer who never toned down her art to fit conventional standards.
Her family is yet to release an official statement on the cause of death or funeral arrangements.
So, How Old Was Saint Janet?
This is where things get murky. Despite her decades in the spotlight, Saint Janet never publicly disclosed her exact date of birth, and no official record of her age has been confirmed by her family, management, or any government body.
What can be pieced together comes from scattered interviews and old event announcements over the years. A birthday celebration for her was documented around January 13, in past years, suggesting that date holds some significance for her, though the year of birth attached to it was never made public. In an old interview published years ago, she was simply described as being “in her 30s” at the time, without a specific number attached.
Some biography pages online list her date of birth only as “1 February,” again without a confirmed year, noting that the exact figure remains unverified beyond scattered event announcements.
What is documented more reliably is her career timeline. Saint Janet reportedly began singing professionally as a backup vocalist around age 15, working under a juju bandleader in the Abeokuta music scene before striking out on her own. Given that her career stretches back several decades, and factoring in the fragments of information available publicly, industry observers estimate she was likely in her 50s at the time of her death, though this figure has not been officially verified.
Until her family or management releases a definitive statement, her exact age at death remains one of the few unresolved details in an otherwise well-documented career.
Who Was Saint Janet?
Born Iyun Janet Oluwatoyosi Ajilore in Osu, Atakumosa West Council area of Osun State, Saint Janet grew up in a Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S) household, one of Nigeria’s Aladura white-garment churches. She served as a chorister in her early years, and that background shaped the powerful, rhythm-heavy vocal delivery she later became known for.
She began her professional journey as a teenage backup singer before transitioning into a solo Juju and Highlife act. Over the years, she built a name for herself with high-energy live performances, an unapologetic stage presence, and lyrics that many considered too explicit for mainstream radio. Her signature blend of raunchy commentary, humour, and social observation earned her the nickname “Mama Yabis,” and her performances at parties, owambe events, and private functions across Nigeria consistently drew large crowds.
Her most talked-about project, “Faaji Plus,” pushed her further into the public eye and cemented her reputation as one of the boldest voices in contemporary Juju music, a genre historically dominated by male bandleaders like King Sunny Ade and the late Ebenezer Obey.
Away from the stage, reports describe her as notably reserved, a sharp contrast to the loud, unfiltered persona she carried while performing. She was married to Kayode Iyun, a musician and sound engineer who occasionally supported her performances.
Reactions to Her Death
Since the announcement, Nigerians on social media and within the entertainment industry have shared memories of her performances, with many crediting her for carving out space for women in a genre long dominated by men. Others focused on her larger-than-life stage persona and the way she connected with live audiences through wit, satire, and unfiltered commentary on everyday Nigerian life.
Her death adds to a string of recent losses within Nigeria’s music and entertainment community, and fans continue to await further details from her family regarding funeral arrangements.
