Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold has spoken out about the online trolling he faced after revealing his battle with sickle cell disease.

The “Orente” singer told CNN that he was “attacked and abused” on social media platforms after making his diagnosis public. This experience, however, only strengthened his resolve to raise awareness about the condition.

Gold says his mission now is to create a safe space for people living with sickle cell. He wants them to know they have access to help and support.

The singer explained his decision to speak out stemmed from a desire to empower others. “A lot of people can’t share their stories like I can,” he said.

Gold, who has known about his condition since childhood, also spoke about the challenges he faced growing up. He rebelled against restrictions placed on him due to his illness and often ended up getting sick.

“I’ve always been rebellious,” he said. “[But] I always knew that I didn’t want this thing [sickle cell] to define me.”