Nigerian musician Adekunle Gold has shared his journey of facing online trolling after publicly revealing his battle with sickle cell disease. The singer recounted how he was initially “attacked and abused” on social media for speaking out about his condition.
In a recent interview with CNN, Adekunle Gold explained that he chose to raise awareness about sickle cell disease once he found the courage to openly discuss it. His goal is to create a sense of safety and support for others living with the condition.
“I want people with sickle cell to feel secure, to know they have assistance and encouragement,” he emphasized.
Adekunle Gold disclosed that he has been aware of his diagnosis since childhood, often challenging the limitations imposed by the disease. “I’ve known about my sickle cell disease my whole life. As a child, I was told there were things I couldn’t do because of it. They said, ‘You know you have sickle cell, you can’t play football in the rain like your friends.’ But I would insist, saying, ‘No, I want to play.’ I’ve always been rebellious,” he recalled.
Reflecting on his decision to address his illness, Adekunle Gold pointed out the backlash he faced when he mentioned it in his song ‘5-star’. “When I talked about my struggle with sickle cell, I received a lot of negative tweets attacking me,” he revealed. “I’m speaking out about sickle cell disease now because I’ve finally gathered the courage to openly share my story. Many people aren’t able to do that like I can. I’ve experienced crises since childhood, spending a lot of time in the hospital. I would often push myself into situations that made me sick, like playing in the rain and experiencing joint pain as a result,” he shared. “But I’ve always refused to let sickle cell define me.”
Adekunle Gold aims to inspire others facing similar challenges and change perceptions about living with sickle cell disease.
