St Janet Dies After Brief Illness: The Controversial Life and Music of ‘Mama Yabis’

Nigeria’s Juju and Highlife music community has been thrown into mourning following the reported death of popular singer Iyun Janet Ajilore, better known as St Janet or Saint Janet, and affectionately called “Mama Yabis.”

St Janet reportedly died on Saturday, August 1, 2026, after a brief illness. Several reports have linked her final illness to complications associated with diabetes. The death was announced publicly by publisher and socialite Otunba Femi Davies, who described the late singer as a distinctive and energetic presence in Nigerian popular music.

However, as of the publication of some of the early reports, her family had not released a formal statement independently confirming the circumstances of her death.

A colourful career cut short

St Janet belonged to a generation of Nigerian entertainers whose music was inseparable from the atmosphere of parties, weddings, social gatherings and live entertainment.

She established herself by combining elements of Juju and Highlife with humour, satire, social commentary and an unusually direct performance style. Her energetic stage presence and ability to improvise made her particularly popular among audiences who enjoyed music that did more than provide a dance beat.

For many of her admirers, St Janet was not simply a singer. She was an entertainer who understood the Nigerian social environment and turned everyday experiences, relationships and social behaviour into musical material.

That distinctive personality earned her the nickname “Mama Yabis” — a reference to the teasing, humorous and sometimes provocative character of her performances.

The lyrics that made her controversial

St Janet’s career was also marked by controversy.

One of the most talked-about aspects of her music was her willingness to use sexually suggestive, provocative and unfiltered language in songs intended largely for adult social settings. Her recording “Faaji Plus” became particularly controversial because of its explicit lyrics.

Reports indicate that the recording attracted bans from bodies including the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) and the Lagos State House of Assembly. Rather than ending her appeal, however, the controversy helped reinforce the image of St Janet as an entertainer who was prepared to cross conventional boundaries.

Therein lay the paradox of her career.

To critics, some of her lyrics went too far and contributed to concerns about vulgarity in popular entertainment. To her supporters, the same irreverence was part of her artistic identity — a deliberately unrestrained form of social commentary delivered through music, humour and satire.

Her songs therefore existed in the complicated space between entertainment and social criticism. She could make audiences laugh and dance while simultaneously provoking conversations about relationships, sexuality, social behaviour and the contradictions of everyday Nigerian life.

More than the controversy

Reducing St Janet’s legacy to controversial lyrics, however, would overlook an important part of her contribution.

She was recognised for her ability to command live audiences, and her performances became a significant part of her appeal. Her music found a home particularly within the private-event and social-entertainment circuit, where audiences valued spontaneity as much as musical performance.

Her strength was her personality.

At a time when Nigerian popular music was increasingly moving towards newer genres and younger performers, St Janet retained a distinctive identity through her stagecraft, humour and willingness to remain unmistakably herself.

That authenticity helped her maintain a following across generations.

A life remembered through music

The circumstances surrounding St Janet’s final days have also added an unexpected poignancy to her death.

Some fans reacting to the news said they had only recently encountered her older recordings again on social media and nostalgia platforms. Others recalled that she had remained connected to live entertainment and had reportedly been discussing or preparing for performances shortly before her death. These reactions underline how quickly an entertainer can move from being part of the present cultural conversation to becoming part of its history.

Her death has consequently reopened interest in a catalogue that, like the woman herself, was difficult to place neatly into one category.

St Janet could be humorous, provocative, satirical and celebratory — sometimes within the same performance.

The legacy of ‘Mama Yabis’

St Janet’s career offers a reminder that Nigerian popular music has never been shaped only by polished studio recordings or mainstream chart success. Much of its history has been created on stages at weddings, parties, social gatherings and community events by performers whose greatest strength was their ability to connect directly with ordinary audiences.

St Janet was one of those performers.

Her controversial lyrics may remain part of the debate surrounding her career, but so too will her courage to develop an unmistakable artistic identity in a competitive entertainment industry.

For her admirers, Mama Yabis leaves behind memories of laughter, dance, sharp-tongued social commentary and energetic performances.

For her critics, her catalogue will remain an example of the difficult boundary between artistic freedom and responsible public entertainment.

For Nigerian music history, however, St Janet’s name is likely to survive precisely because she was never an ordinary performer.

She made herself heard — loudly, boldly and on her own terms.

And now, following her reported death on August 1, the Nigerian entertainment scene is left to remember the woman behind the controversy: Iyun Janet Ajilore, St Janet, Mama Yabis.