Award-winning Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold gained international fame when his debut album “Gold” hit number seven on the Billboard World Charts. Since then, he has released four more albums and earned hundreds of millions of streams worldwide.
Behind the scenes, Gold has been quietly battling sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder that causes severe pain, anemia, and serious complications. It primarily affects children who inherit the sickle cell gene from both parents.
Sickle cell disease is most common in Africa, which has 66% of global cases, according to the World Health Organization. Nigeria has the highest burden, with about 150,000 babies born with the disease each year.
Gold first mentioned his struggles with sickle cell in his 2022 song “5 Star.” Now, he is launching the Adekunle Gold Foundation, dedicated to helping children with sickle cell disease in Africa.
Recently, he spoke with CNN’s Larry Madowo for his first detailed interview about living with the condition.
I started the foundation, so you know it’s real. It’s game time from now on. So, I am constantly learning my voice, constantly doing outreach, and constantly fighting for it. I want the international community to pay attention just like they do to other diseases. Sickle cell is a big one. It affects my people the most, and I want the world to do something about it – AG added
Watch the interview here
