Ghana’s tallest man, Sulemana Abdul Samed, popularly known as Awuche, has died at the age of 33 after battling health complications associated with Marfan syndrome.
The BBC reported on Tuesday that Awuche died on Monday at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for infected sores on his legs. He had been admitted to the hospital in Tamale, about 160 kilometres from his hometown of Gambaga.
His death has triggered an outpouring of grief across Ghana, particularly in the northern part of the country, where he was widely admired not only for his extraordinary height but also for his humility and generosity.
A relative, Sulemana Abdul Kudus, paid tribute to Awuche, saying, “Everyone knew how generous and kind he was. From when he died until now a lot of people are still coming to the house to find out what exactly happened.”
Awuche was diagnosed with gigantism in his 20s. When the BBC measured him in 2022, he stood at 7ft 4in (223cm), although reports indicated he may have grown even taller before his death.
Known across Ghana by the Hausa nickname Awuche, meaning “Let’s Go,” he lived with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting the body’s connective tissues. The condition contributed to his exceptional height and unusually long limbs while also causing several health complications.
According to the BBC, he had “struggled to pay his medical bills until businessman Ibrahim Mahama, brother of Ghanaian President John Mahama,” intervened to support his treatment at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. Mahama had also met him and recently provided an update on plans for his ongoing medical care.
Kudus explained that the “sores on Awuche’s legs were not directly caused by Marfan syndrome but were likely a complication of the condition.”
Although doctors reportedly believed he was responding positively to treatment, “Awuche died on Monday morning.”
Expressing the grief felt by many, Kudus said, “Everyone is just sad,” noting that residents of Gambaga were stunned by the unexpected loss.
He added that Awuche’s fame had brought national recognition to the village.
“Anywhere he found himself in the country and they asked him, he would say he is from Gambaga and people knew that was where the tallest man was from.
“It gave the community identity, and he was popular as well,” Kudus said.
The BBC recalled that Awuche was not born unusually tall, with his rapid physical growth beginning at the age of 22 while he was working at a butcher’s shop in Accra.
Describing the first signs of his condition, Awuche had said, “I realised my tongue had expanded in my mouth to the extent that I could not breath [properly].”
He explained that within a few days, the rest of his body also began to enlarge before doctors eventually diagnosed him with Marfan syndrome.
The illness ultimately forced him to “abandon his ambition of becoming a driver and return to his hometown of Gambaga nine years ago.”
Speaking about the impact of the condition on his life, Awuche had said, “I used to play football like every other young man, I was athletic but now I cannot even walk short distances.”
Despite enduring severe physical challenges, he remained optimistic and became a well-known figure across Ghana after earning recognition as the country’s tallest man.
His family has opted to hold his funeral in Tamale instead of Gambaga, citing concerns that the small community may not be able to accommodate the large number of mourners expected to attend.
