Award-winning Nigerian musician Adekunle Gold has opened up about his lifelong battle with sickle cell disease, revealing that he still experiences painful crises despite years of treatment.

In a recently shared interview video, the 38-year-old singer spoke candidly about his health challenges, explaining that he has been on lifelong medication since the age of five.

“I still have crises,” Adekunle Gold said, describing the intense pain associated with the illness. “It’s pains in your joints, my legs, and sometimes stomach. It’s really crazy.”

He recounted his earliest memory of 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 five or seven. That was when the doctor told me about it, and they said I would be taking folic acid and B complex for the rest of my life.”

The Orente crooner expressed gratitude that his crises have become less severe over time, crediting better self-care and improved access to medical resources.

“I still have crises once in a while but not as bad as when I was a child. Maybe because I’ve 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.

Adekunle Gold also used the platform to advocate for genotype awareness, stressing that ignorance about sickle cell remains widespread in Nigeria.

“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 enough moves,” he said. “Sickle cell happens when an SS matches an SS. That’s why knowing your genotype is very important, so we don’t bring more kids into the world to suffer the same pain.”

The singer’s revelation has sparked conversations across social media, with many commending his courage and honesty in raising awareness about a condition that affects millions of Nigerians.