Elevated experiences celebrating the culture through dance and rhythm
Elevated experiences celebrating the culture through dance and rhythm
Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Adekunle Gold continues to prove that his impact extends far beyond the stage. On June 20, 2026, the Adekunle Gold Foundation commemorated International Sickle Cell Day with a powerful medical outreach event that brought critical healthcare services to over 500 individuals living with sickle cell disease in Lagos.
Held at Akerele Medical Centre in Surulere, the quarterly outreach—executed in partnership with the Sickle Cell Advocacy & Management Initiative (SAMI)—offered comprehensive medical interventions including specialist consultations, diagnostic laboratory testing, pain and crisis management, and a three-month supply of medications. For hundreds of families navigating the daily challenges of sickle cell disease, the event represented not just medical care, but hope and solidarity from one of Nigeria’s most beloved artists.
Adekunle Gold, himself a sickle cell warrior, was present to personally engage with beneficiaries and share an inspiring message rooted in his own lived experience. “As a warrior, I was constantly told I couldn’t do several things because of my condition, but I never listened to them,” he told children and parents gathered at the event. “Today, I want to encourage and remind you that you can be anything you want to be and your dreams are valid. At Adekunle Gold Foundation, our goal is to destigmatise the sickle cell disease, bring attention to it, and provide key support to help every warrior live a fulfilling life.”
The outreach held special significance as the first since the recent passing of SAMI founder Mrs. Oluwatoyin Adesola. Foluso Phillips, Chairman of the SAMI board, emphasized both the importance of prevention through blood screening and the foundation’s commitment to continuing Adesola’s legacy. “The essence of SAMI is to try and educate people about not creating a situation whereby people with sickle cell will be born,” Phillips explained. “We are truly grateful to Adekunle Gold for his support in ensuring that this initiative continues to be a success.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher in Nigeria, where over 150,000 children are born with sickle cell disease annually—making the country home to the world’s largest population living with the condition. The Adekunle Gold Foundation is addressing this crisis on multiple fronts. Beyond quarterly medical outreaches, the foundation launched the 5 Star Care initiative in 2025, providing 1,000 individuals with free health insurance coverage through partnerships with the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Lagos State Health Management Agency.
Since publicly sharing his own sickle cell journey in 2022, Adekunle Gold has transformed personal testimony into systemic action, using his platform to destigmatize the disease and create sustainable healthcare access for warriors across Nigeria.
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