Adekunle Gold cites genotype compatibility in marriage to Simi

Singer Adekunle Gold has revealed that genotype compatibility was a decisive factor in his marriage to fellow musician Simi. Gold, who lives with sickle cell disease (SS genotype), stated that he prioritized the health of potential future children over romantic feelings when deciding to pursue the relationship.

Speaking on the One54 Podcast, Gold explained that he would not have married Simi if she were not AA genotype. He noted that his primary goal was to ensure they did not bring children into the world who would suffer from the disease. The couple married in January 2019 and has two children.

Gold’s transparency highlights a critical public health issue in Nigeria, where the prevalence of sickle cell anaemia makes genetic screening a vital step for couples. Medical experts and health advocates in the country have long called for mandatory genotype testing before marriage to prevent the birth of children with the SS genotype, which occurs when two carriers (AS) conceive.