Adekunle Gold Advocates for Sickle Cell Awareness on CNN’s African Voices Playmakers
Afropop singer Adekunle Kosoko, widely known as Adekunle Gold, recently highlighted his advocacy efforts for Sickle Cell Disease awareness on the Globacom-sponsored CNN magazine program, African Voices Playmakers. In a heartfelt interview with CNN’s correspondent Larry Madowo, Adekunle Gold discussed his personal journey with the disease and his rise to musical success despite the challenges it posed.
During the interview, Adekunle Gold emphasized his desire to create a safe and supportive environment for people living with sickle cell. “I want people living with sickle cell to feel safe, to feel like they have help, to feel like they have support,” he stated. Reflecting on the stigma surrounding the condition, he mentioned, “They call you sickler. You know, recently when I even talked about it in the song, I saw a little tweet of people attacking and abusing me.”
His decision to speak out was inspired by writing his song “5-star,” which chronicles his life journey and the obstacles he has overcome. Adekunle Gold realized the impact his voice could have on raising awareness and offering support to others struggling with the condition. “Because I just really got the courage to come out and speak about it, a lot of people can share their story as I can. I was writing the song 5-star and I was reflecting on my life, the journey, how I’m a miracle,” he explained. “Because the line was ‘sickle cell show me a crisis,’ like back it was a tough time for me, I was reflecting on that song and thought maybe it was time to even lend my voice because people are dying.”
Adekunle Gold also shared the personal challenges he faced while living with sickle cell disease, saying, “I knew that I didn’t want this thing to define me. If it means that I needed to exercise more, take my drugs more, eat well, take more water.” His story serves as an inspiration for many, demonstrating resilience and the power of advocacy.
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