“I still have crises” — Adekunle Gold opens up about living with sickle cell

Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold has revealed that he is still battling sickle cell crisis.

In a recent interview with Nandoleaks, the 38-year-old singer got candid about his ongoing struggle with the disease, sharing that he has been on lifelong medication since childhood.

“I still have crises,” he said, recalling how his journey with sickle cell began when he was just a child.

“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,” he said.

Adekunle Gold also stressed the importance of knowing one’s genotype before marriage, urging Nigerians to take genotype testing seriously to prevent more children from suffering the same 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 said.

Despite the pain and health challenges, Adekunle Gold said he has learned to take better care of himself as an adult.

“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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