In the latest episode of African Voices Changemakers, CNN’s Larry Madowo spoke with Nige- rian Afropop singer Adekunle Gold for his first in-depth interview about living with sickle cell anaemia and how it has inspired his new mission. The award-winning singer made waves internationally when his debut album ‘Gold’ rose to number seven on the Billboard World Charts. In 2022, fans were shocked to learn from his song ‘Five Star’ that the Nigerian crooner has been secretly battling with the sickle cell anaemia.
He tells Madowo: “I just really got the courage to come out and speak about it. You know, a lot of people can’t share the story like I can, but I was writing the song ‘Five Star’ and I was reflecting on my life, the journey, how I’m a miracle.” Sickle cell disease is an inherited genetic blood dis- order that causes abnormally shaped red blood cells.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 66% of those affected by sickle cell disease live on the continent of Africa. The disease can cause a variety of health problems ranging from severe pain and anaemia to other serious complications including death. Gold discusses some of the challenges he had to overcome living with the illness, and what changes he had to undertake to stay healthy, “All my life, I knew since I was a child I couldn’t do certain things, So what happened to me was I have pains in my joints, you know, from being in the rain, for example, doing strenuous activities as a .
