Nigerian Juju and highlife singer, Iyun Janet Oluwatoyosi Ajilore, popularly known as St. Janet, is dead.
St Janet died on Saturday July 1 2026 after a brief illness.
Otunba Femi Davies, a Nigerian publisher and socialite, announced the singer’s passage on Sunday morning in a Facebook post.
“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,” he wrote.
The singer, famous for her controversial blend of juju, highlife and fuji music, passed away rose to prominence after serving for three years as a backup singer before launching her solo career.
She was given the stage name “St. Janet” by her former boss and juju musician, Los Kenge, due to her calm demeanour off stage.
Born a chorister in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, the late singer became known for infusing gospel intros into her songs before switching to Yoruba lyrics laced with sexual innuendos and humour. She once described herself as the “General Overseer of St. Bottles Cathedral.”
Her 2010 live audio CD, Faaji Series, was banned by the Music Advertising Association of Nigeria, MAAN, and the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN, over its lyrical content. The singer, however, defended her music, saying it was “not for kids but adults.”
St. Janet was married to Olukayode Samuel Iyun and the union is blessed with a son, Orinayo Michael. She performed at several shows, including a Democracy Day event in Lagos in June 2022.
Tributes have begun pouring in from colleagues and fans who described her as a bold and fearless voice for women in the Nigerian music industry.
May her soul rest in peace.
