Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold has opened up about his continued battle with sickle cell disease.

In a recent interview shared on social media, the 38-year-old artist disclosed that he still experiences sickle cell crises despite managing the condition since childhood.

“I still have crises,” he said, while reflecting on the pain and challenges he has faced over the years.

Adekunle revealed that he has been on lifelong medication since he was about five years old. Emphasizing the need for public awareness, he urged people to take genotype testing seriously to prevent the spread of the condition.

He explained, “My vision is to make more noise about it because many people don’t know enough about it, and relevant organisations are not doing enough to create awareness. In Nigeria, where sickle cell is quite common, it usually happens when two carriers—both SS—have children. That’s why knowing your genotype is very important, so you don’t bring more children into the world to suffer from it.”

Speaking on his personal journey, he shared, “Unfortunately, my parents are both sickle cell carriers, and they brought me into the world. As a child, I would frequently fall sick, experiencing severe pain in my joints, legs, and sometimes my stomach. That’s what a crisis feels like—it’s excruciating.”

Recalling his earliest memory of the illness, he said, “The first time I found out about it was when I fell sick one night. My dad wasn’t home, and my mum carried me on her back and walked miles to the hospital. I was about five or seven years old. That was when the doctor explained it to us and said I would have to take folic acid and B complex for the rest of my life. I’ve been on that routine ever since.”

Adekunle added that although he still experiences crises occasionally, they are less severe than in his childhood, crediting better self-care and access to resources.

“I still have crises once in a while, but not as bad as before. I’ve learned how to take care of myself better, and I’m grateful to God for the means to do so,” he concluded.

Watch the interview here: https://x.com/OneJoblessBoy/status/1983966327791342065?t=MzGc5lohYxe_HFZ_sA15nA&s=19