Juju singer Saint Janet dies in Lagos at 72

Highlife and Juju singer Iyun Janet Oluwatoyosi Ajilore, widely known as Saint Janet, passed away early Sunday morning in Lagos, sparking tributes from fellow artists.

Highlife and Juju singer Iyun Janet Oluwatoyosi Ajilore, widely known as Saint Janet, passed away early Sunday morning in Lagos. Tributes flooded social media from fellow artists acknowledging her unique contribution to contemporary Juju music.

Saint Janet was one of Nigeria’s most respected Juju singers, known for her unique voice and contribution to the genre. Her passing is a significant loss to the Nigerian music industry. She performed alongside some of the biggest names in Juju and highlife music, and her legacy will be remembered.

This echoes the 2020 passing of other Juju legends, which also sparked tributes. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a loss for Nigerian music.

The winners: none. The losers: the family of the deceased; the Nigerian music industry, which has lost a legend; and the Nigerian public, who have lost a cultural icon.

Bottom Line: Saint Janet has passed away. Tributes are pouring in. Nigerian music has lost a legend.