Nigerian singer, Adekunle Gold, has revealed that he would not have married his wife, Simi, if she had the SS genotype.
Naija News reports that the SS genotype, known as sickle cell disease, is a genetic blood condition in which red blood cells form a stiff, crescent- or sickle-shaped form instead of their normal round shape, leading to various health complications.
In an interview on the One 54 podcast, Gold emphasised the need for greater awareness about genotype compatibility, stressing that people must understand the importance of knowing their genotype before starting a relationship or having children.
He said, “There is so much awareness to be done, and that is what we do. People need to understand that if you have sickle cell, forget about love, you can’t be with someone with sickle cell too. It makes no sense to bring a child into the world who will be sickly.”
Asked about what he would have done if Simi was SS, the ‘Many People’ hitmaker said they went for a genotype test when they first met to determine whether they were compatible, adding that his wife is AA.
He added, “There’s no way I would have married my wife Simi if she was sickle cell. The first thing we did when we met was a genotype test to know if we matched. If we didn’t, I wouldn’t have married her. She is AA.”
