Nigerian Afrobeats star Adekunle Gold has opened up about his lifelong battle with sickle cell disease, revealing he still experiences painful crises despite being on medication since childhood.
In an emotional interview with Nandoleaks, the 38-year-old singer shared how he first discovered his condition after repeatedly falling ill as a child.
“I still have crises,” he said. “The first time I ever heard of sickle cell was when I used to fall sick every time, my joints would hurt, my legs, sometimes my stomach.
One night, my dad wasn’t home, and my mum carried me on her back for miles to the hospital.
That’s when the doctor told me I had sickle cell and that I would be taking folic acid and B complex for the rest of my life. And that’s my life, even till now.”
The award-winning artist used his platform to advocate for genotype testing before marriage, highlighting Nigeria’s high prevalence of the condition.
“Where sickle cell is most common is my country, Nigeria. It happens when an SS matches an SS.
That’s why knowing your genotype is very important, so you don’t bring more kids into the world to suffer,” he explained.
While the “High” crooner still experiences occasional crises, he says they’re less severe than during his childhood thanks to better self-care and access to proper healthcare.
“I still have crises once in a while, but not as bad as when I was a child.
Maybe because I’ve found a way to take care of myself properly. I’m grateful to God for the resources to be able to do that.”
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