The children of veteran Juju and Highlife singer Iyun ‘Saint Janet’ Ayilore have opened up about the moments leading to their mother’s death, saying she developed chest pain and began experiencing breathing difficulties shortly before she died.
Janet’s death was confirmed by her manager on August 2, although no cause of death was initially given.
In an interview with ALORE TV, her children, Omowunmi, Orinayo and Fola Ayilor, recounted how the singer appeared healthy after performing at a show in Sango, Ogun State, the night before her death.
Omowunmi said her mother returned home after the overnight performance without showing any indication that anything was wrong.
“She performed the previous night. People even celebrated her with applause. We did not suspect anything. After the show we came home and slept. The show was overnight,” she said.
She explained that Janet went to the market the next day and returned home in the evening. After deciding to prepare food herself, her condition suddenly appeared to change.
“After she finished cooking, she checked around the house to see if there was anything else for her to do. I later noticed she was holding her chest. She said she felt like something wanted to drop off her chest. Her breathing was no longer regular,” Omowunmi said.
She said the singer later requested medical attention and was taken to the hospital by family members.
“It was my uncle and my three other siblings that took her to the hospital. They said when they got to the hospital, it was not up to 10 minutes that she was admitted and was given oxygen,” she added.
Orinayo said his mother was attended to shortly after arriving at the hospital, but her condition deteriorated while medical workers were checking 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.
Fola, another of Janet’s daughters, said she was informed that her mother had died after arriving at the hospital.
“She complained of chest pain. It is my sister that can explain better. She was not sick. They said she went to the market to buy food stuff. I also saw the soup she was preparing. They came to call me that she was dead,” she said.
Describing Janet as a loving mother, Fola said she was particularly concerned about making sure people around her were fed.
“She was a good mother. She always ensured that people around her eat,” she said.
Janet’s manager also recalled her final performance, saying there was nothing during the show to suggest that she was unwell.
“We went for a show at Sango. After performing, she went back to sit among the audience, and she spoke with the organiser. She sang well and did not show any sign of sickness,” he said.
According to him, Janet contacted him on the day of her death and told him she was preparing soup before promising to call him later.
Following her death, the family has formed a committee to oversee the funeral arrangements. A nine-day prayer and thanksgiving programme is underway, while the burial ceremonies are scheduled for August 25 and 26.
The family has also appealed to friends, fans and well-wishers to remember them in their prayers.
