Backup singer Sunkanmi, known as Suko, who performed with the late Nigerian Juju and Highlife musician Iyun Ajilore, popularly called Saint Janet, for over 25 years, has explained why she shifted from gospel-influenced music to songs with explicit themes. In an interview with Alore TV published on YouTube on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Suko detailed how a key wedding performance revealed that the new style attracted far more money and bookings than her gospel sets.
Saint Janet's Gospel Beginnings and Early Struggles
Suko first met Saint Janet when both were working under different artists. He watched her transition from a backup singer for Nurse Kenge into a bandleader in her own right. In the early days, her career was rooted firmly in gospel Juju. The band held rehearsals at a Celestial Church, and her debut studio recording blended gospel with Juju music.
Despite the effort and money invested in that project, it failed to gain traction. Suko recalled, "She spent money on that particular project and the cassette became dusty under her bed." Even as she performed tirelessly at weddings, bars, and beer parlours, the gospel material did not generate the audience response she needed. Crowd energy remained flat whenever the band played gospel sets, and bookings from nightlife venues were slow to come.
The Moment Everything Changed for Saint Janet
Out of necessity, Saint Janet began experimenting. Suko described her developing what he called a "pastor style" of entertainment, where she would weave real people and real-time situations at events into her performances, framing them in romantic and sexually suggestive terms suited to a social setting. For example, she would comment, "Look at this woman, Aunty Adunni, and her husband, Mr Lagbaja, look at how they are kissing," and spin it into song.
The crowd reaction was immediate. Money began flowing in, and club and bar bookings picked up considerably. Suko stated that one wedding performance proved particularly telling. Saint Janet was mid-set on gospel songs when the bride's family interrupted and specifically requested her newer material. The band hesitated, noting that children were present, but the family waved off the concern. When she launched into the explicit-themed songs, the crowd responded with heavy spraying of money, and the night earned far more than her gospel sets had managed.
Saint Janet's Lasting Legacy and Final Performance
Suko stressed that Saint Janet never completely walked away from gospel music. She continued to draw inspiration from it even as the racier material dominated her bookings. In a curious twist, some churches even requested the adult-rated songs during performances.
Suko also shared a poignant memory of Saint Janet's final performance, during which she turned to acknowledge him publicly, saying he had been with her the longest and had always supported her. He said she gifted him her wristwatch and sprayed money on him that night. "Assuming I knew it was a goodbye, I would have just returned it and told her that it seemed you were going," he said.
Saint Janet's Children Recall Her Final Moments
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Saint Janet's children revealed she showed no signs of distress until the evening she died. They explained she had performed joyfully the night before, visited the market the following day, and only later complained of chest pain while at home. Her family rushed her to hospital, where she was placed on oxygen, but she passed away shortly after despite immediate medical attention.
