Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold has revealed that Simi’s genotype was one of the first things he wanted to know before pursuing a serious relationship with her, drawing from his own experience living with sickle cell disease.
The singer made the disclosure while speaking on the One54 Africa podcast, explaining that genotype compatibility was important to him because of the possibility of passing sickle cell disease to future children.
According to Gold, he found out that Simi was AA, a result he considered reassuring given his own health history.
He said he would not have proceeded with the relationship if her genotype had presented a significant risk of having a child with sickle cell disease.
‘I Had to Know Her Genotype’
Gold’s comments reveal how deeply his personal experience with sickle cell has influenced his decisions about relationships and having children.
Rather than treating genotype testing as a routine medical check, the singer described it as a major consideration in deciding whether a relationship could progress.
His position was shaped by what he has personally experienced since childhood.
Gold previously revealed that he was born with sickle cell disease and has spoken openly about the severe pain, hospitalisation and emotional difficulties he experienced growing up with the condition.
For him, the possibility of having a child experience similar suffering was therefore not an abstract concern.
“I wouldn’t have married my wife if she were SS or AS. She’s AA. I don’t think it makes sense to bring a child into this world and they’d be sickly.” — Singer Adekunle Gold pic.twitter.com/FMDGLjJNgi
— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) September 10, 2026
Why Genotype Matters
Genotype refers to the genetic makeup inherited from a person’s parents. In discussions around sickle cell, the commonly referenced types include AA, AS and SS.
Sickle cell disease can occur when a child inherits certain haemoglobin variants from both parents. This is why couples are often encouraged to know their genotype before having children.
Gold’s comments have consequently reopened a familiar but sometimes uncomfortable conversation among Nigerians about genotype testing before marriage.
For couples, knowing their genotype can allow them to understand potential reproductive risks and discuss their options with qualified medical professionals.
Gold’s Experience Makes His Comment Personal
The singer’s position is particularly notable because he is not speaking about sickle cell solely from an outside perspective.
Gold has previously discussed the realities of living with the condition, including the physical pain and psychological toll it took on him.
That history appears to have influenced how he approached his own relationship and family planning.
His revelation about Simi therefore offers a glimpse into a private decision that preceded one of Nigeria’s most prominent celebrity marriages.
Adekunle Gold and Simi have since built a family together and remain one of the country’s best-known celebrity couples.
The Controversy Behind the Revelation
While many people may see Gold’s decision as a responsible example of genetic awareness, his comments are also likely to generate debate about how society discusses relationships involving people with sickle cell traits or disease.
There is an important distinction between having sickle cell disease and carrying the sickle cell trait, and discussions about genotype can easily become stigmatising when those differences are ignored.
The broader issue is therefore not simply whether couples should check their genotype.
It is about whether people can make informed reproductive decisions without turning genetic status into a reason to discriminate against or devalue individuals.
Gold’s story highlights the intensely personal nature of that decision.
For a man who has lived with sickle cell disease himself, the question of what could happen to his future children carried a weight that went far beyond ordinary relationship compatibility.
A Personal Decision With a Wider Message
Adekunle Gold’s revelation has turned attention back to an issue that affects millions of families: the importance of understanding one’s genotype before making major reproductive decisions.
His experience also demonstrates why conversations about sickle cell cannot be reduced to statistics.
Behind every genotype result is a person, a family and, in some cases, years of lived experience with the disease.
Gold chose to make genotype a condition he needed to understand before taking his relationship with Simi further.
Whether people agree with his approach or not, his disclosure has once again placed genotype compatibility, sickle cell awareness and responsible family planning at the centre of public conversation.
