Nigerian singer Adekunle Almoruf Kosoko, popularly known as Adekunle Gold, has opened up about his lifelong battle with sickle cell disease, admitting that he still experiences crises from time to time.
The 38-year-old artist revealed in a recent interview that he has been managing the condition since he was five years old. He explained the importance of awareness and genetic testing, especially in Nigeria where the disease is more prevalent.
“I still have crises. My vision is to make more noise about it because a lot of people don’t know about it, and the important organisations are not making so much 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 very important because the point is you should not bring many more kids that have sickle cell,” he said.
Adekunle Gold also shared a vivid memory of the first time he realized he had the condition. “The first time I noticed that I had it was the night I fell sick and my dad wasn’t home. My mum put me on her back and we walked miles to the hospital. I don’t remember how old I was, maybe like 5 or 7. That was when the doctor told me about it, and they told me that I will be taking folic acid and B complex for the rest of my life.”
He added that while his crises still occur, they are less severe now thanks to proper self-care and access to medical resources. “I still have crises once in a while but not as bad as I had it when I was a child. And I’m grateful to God for the resources to be able to do that,” Adekunle Gold said.
