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Nigeria: Adekunle Gold Reveals Ongoing Struggles With Sickle Cell Anaemia

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The singer also lamented the lifelong medication the condition subjects him to.

Nigerian musician Adekunle Kosoko, popularly known as Adekunle Gold, has revealed his ongoing struggles with sickle cell crises, as he intensifies his campaign to raise awareness and support for people living with the condition.

The singer made this known in an interview with Nandoleaks, an international real-talk podcast, on Wednesday.


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Sharing his experiences, the Orente crooner disclosed that he still battles sickle cells and lamented the lifelong medication the condition subjects him to.

“I still have crises once in a while, but not as bad as I had them when I was a child, you know, maybe because I have found a way to take care of myself more properly. And I’m grateful to God for the resources to be able to do that,” he said.

Awareness

Additionally, the 38-year-old singer raised public awareness about sickle cell disease, emphasising the importance of genetic testing before childbearing.

“My vision is to make more noise about it because a lot of people don’t know about it, and the essential organisations are not making so many moves regarding it.

“Where sickle cell is more popular or where people know it most is my country, Nigeria. And it happens when an SS matches an SS. And that’s why knowing your genotype is significant, because the point is that you should not have many more children who have sickle cell.

“Unfortunately for me, my parents are sickle cell, and they brought me to the world. The first time I ever heard of sickle cell was when I would fall sick every time, with my joints aching. So when we talk about a crisis, it is pain in my joints, my legs, and sometimes my stomach. It’s really crazy,” Adekunle explained.

Sickle-cell journey

Narrating his first consciousness of his condition, Adekunle expressed his displeasure at the reality of lifelong medication he has to take because of his medical condition.

“The first time I noticed that I had it was the night I fell sick and my dad wasn’t home, and my mum put me on her back and we walked miles to the hospital. I don’t remember how old I was; maybe I was around 5 or 7.

“That was when the doctor told me about it, and they told me that I would be taking folic acid and B complex for the rest of my life. And that’s my life for a very long time, even till now,” he said.