Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold has opened up about his ongoing battle with sickle cell disease, revealing that he has been on medication since childhood and was informed he would need to take folic acid and B-complex vitamins for life.

Speaking in an interview with Nando Leaks, the 38-year-old artiste shared that he was born with the genetic disorder and began experiencing painful crises as early as age five. He recalled frequent hospital visits and episodes marked by severe pain in his joints, legs and stomach.

Adekunle Gold explained that his parents unknowingly passed the sickle cell gene to him because both carried the trait. He said his first memory of learning about the condition came after a particularly severe episode that led his mother to carry him on her back to the hospital in the absence of his father.

“The doctor told me I would be taking folic acid and B-complex for the rest of my life,” he recounted. “That has been my reality from childhood till now.”

Although he still experiences occasional crises, the singer noted that they are far less intense than when he was younger, crediting improved self-care and access to treatment. He expressed gratitude for the resources that now help him manage the illness more effectively.

Adekunle Gold also used the opportunity to stress the importance of genotype testing, especially for couples planning to start a family, to prevent passing the disorder to future children.

“My mission is to raise more awareness because many people still don’t understand sickle cell,” he said. “Knowing your genotype is crucial. SS and SS should not come together to bring more children into pain.”

He urged health organisations in Nigeria and beyond to intensify public education on the condition, noting that sickle cell disease remains most prevalent in Nigeria.