Ghana’s tallest man, Sulemana Abdul Samed, popularly known as Awuche, has died at the age of 33.
According to the BBC, Awuche died on Monday at the Tamale Teaching Hospital after being admitted with infected sores on his legs.
He had been receiving treatment in Tamale, about 160 kilometres from his hometown of Gambaga in northern Ghana.
His death has triggered an outpouring of grief across northern Ghana, where he was widely admired for his extraordinary height and warm personality.
A relative of the deceased, Sulemana Abdul Kudus, described him as a generous and kind-hearted man whose death has left the community in shock.
“Everyone knew how generous and kind he was. From the time he died until now, many people have continued coming to the house to find out exactly what happened,” Kudus told the BBC.
Awuche was diagnosed with gigantism in his 20s and measured 7ft 4in (223cm) when the BBC interviewed him in 2022. Reports, however, suggested that he may have grown even taller before his death.
Known by the Hausa nickname “Awuche,” meaning “Let’s Go,” he lived with complications arising from Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissues.
The BBC reported that he had struggled to pay for his medical treatment until businessman Ibrahim Mahama, brother of Ghanaian President John Mahama, stepped in to support his care at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
Kudus explained that the sores on Awuche’s legs were not directly caused by Marfan syndrome but were believed to be a complication of the condition.
Although doctors reportedly said he was responding well to treatment, he died on Monday morning.
“Everyone is just sad,” Kudus said, adding that Awuche’s popularity brought national recognition to Gambaga.
“Anywhere he found himself in the country, when people asked where he was from, he would say Gambaga, and they knew it was the hometown of the tallest man.
“It gave the community an identity, and he was popular as well,” he added.
The BBC recalled that Awuche’s unusual growth began at the age of 22 while he was working at a butcher’s shop in Accra.
Speaking about the onset of his illness, he said, “I realised my tongue had expanded in my mouth to the extent that I could not breathe properly.”
He later revealed that the condition forced him to abandon his dream of becoming a driver and return to his hometown after he could no longer carry out normal daily activities.
Despite his health challenges, Awuche remained optimistic and embraced the fame that came with being recognised as Ghana’s tallest man.
His family has announced that he will be buried in Tamale instead of Gambaga because of concerns that his hometown may not be able to accommodate the large number of mourners expected at his funeral.
