Nilipelekwa kwa waganga wengi: Akuku Danger recounts painful childhood battle with sickle cell
By Valerian Khakayi, September 16, 2026Kenyan comedian and entertainer Mannerson Oduor Ochieng, widely known as Akuku Danger, has opened up about his painful childhood battle with sickle cell disease, revealing that he was taken to several traditional healers before he was diagnosed at the age of seven.
The comedian speaking during a candid conversation on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, shared details of his childhood, explaining that his family desperately sought a solution to his health challenges before doctors eventually identified the condition.
“I was diagnosed with sickle cell when I was seven years old. Growing up nilipelekwa kwa waganga wengi sana before I got to seven years,” Akuku Danger said.
He explained that his mother was particularly determined to find a solution because the situation had also placed pressure on her marriage.
“My mother really wanted a solution for me because her marriage was also at risk,” he said.
Starting treatment at seven
Akuku revealed that it was only after his diagnosis at the age of seven that he began receiving medication for sickle cell disease.
“At seven years, that is when I started the medication,” he said.
Reflecting on growing up with the condition in the 1990s, Akuku said sickle cell was not widely understood, leaving his family and the wider community struggling to explain his symptoms.
“I was born in the 90s; people did not know what sickle cell is all about, and it was something that was strange to them,” he said.
According to the comedian, some people attributed his condition to curses and witchcraft because they could not understand why he remained unwell despite receiving treatment at hospitals.
“They saw me as a child who was either cursed; there was a lot of witchcraft happening around they could not understand because we could go to the hospital, treat the symptoms and wouldn’t treat the disease itself,” he said.
Struggles with the condition
Akuku also recalled the physical effects he experienced as a child, saying his appearance and swollen joints were among the symptoms that worried those around him.
“At the time I used to be so pale; my joints were swollen,” he said.
He further highlighted how cultural beliefs contributed to the misunderstanding surrounding sickle cell disease.
“In the African culture, it is never believed that sickle cell is inherited from the father’s side,” Akuku said.