Nigerian singer, Adekunle Gold has opened up about the role genotype compatibility played in his decision to marry his wife and fellow artiste, Simi, revealing that the couple confirmed their genetic compatibility before their relationship progressed.

Speaking during a recent appearance on the One54 Africa Podcast, the singer explained that despite his feelings for Simi, he would not have gone ahead with the marriage had her genotype posed a risk of passing sickle cell disease to their children.

Adekunle Gold, who lives with the SS genotype himself, said he and Simi took a genotype test early in their relationship to determine whether they were medically compatible before deciding to build a future together. He disclosed that Simi’s genotype is AA, which meant the couple could proceed without the risk of having a child with sickle cell disease.

According to him, the test was one of the very first things they did after meeting, well before the relationship deepened into what would eventually become their 2019 marriage.

The singer did not hold back on how seriously he weighs genotype compatibility, stating plainly that he would not have married Simi had she carried the SS or AS genotype, regardless of how strong their feelings for each other were. He argued that bringing a child into the world only for that child to suffer the health complications associated with sickle cell disease made no sense to him, and he urged Nigerian couples to prioritise genotype awareness over romantic attachment when making decisions about marriage and children.

Adekunle Gold has long used his platform to raise awareness about sickle cell disease since publicly revealing his own SS status in 2022.

He has since described how the condition shaped one of his most personal songs, and he has continued advocacy work through his foundation, including a health insurance initiative launched in 2025 to support people living with the condition.

His latest comments, made during Sickle Cell Awareness Month, have reignited public conversation in Nigeria around the importance of couples knowing their genotype status before entering into serious relationships.

Adekunle Gold and Simi married in January 2019 after dating for several years and now have two children together. The couple remain one of the most prominent pairings in Nigerian entertainment, and Gold’s willingness to speak candidly about the health considerations behind their union has struck a chord with fans, many of whom have praised him for using his personal story to push a wider public health message.