By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
Ghana’s tallest man, Abdul-Samed Sulemana, popularly known as Awuche, has died at the age of 33 after years of battling Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that caused his extraordinary height and severe health complications.
Sulemana died on Monday at the Tamale Teaching Hospital after developing a serious infection from sores on his legs, according to local media reports. Although doctors had reportedly said he was responding well to treatment, his condition suddenly deteriorated, prompting an outpouring of grief across Ghana, particularly in the country’s northern region where he was widely admired.
“Everyone knew how generous and kind he was,” a relative, Sulemana Abdul Kudus, said while paying tribute to the deceased.
Known across Ghana by his nickname, Awuche, which means “Let’s Go” in the Hausa language, Sulemana rose to international prominence after the BBC featured his remarkable story in 2022. At the time, he measured 7 feet 4 inches (223 centimetres), although family members believe he had grown even taller before his death.
His unusual height was caused by Marfan syndrome, a rare inherited disorder that affects the body’s connective tissues. The condition led to abnormally long limbs and a series of debilitating health challenges that dramatically changed the course of his life.
Unlike many exceptionally tall people, Sulemana was not born unusually large. His rapid growth reportedly began in his early twenties while working at a butcher’s shop in Accra, Ghana’s capital.
He recalled that one of the earliest signs of the illness was a sudden enlargement of his tongue, which made breathing difficult. Within days, the rest of his body also began growing rapidly before doctors eventually diagnosed him with Marfan syndrome.
The illness forced him to abandon his ambition of becoming a professional driver and also ended his passion for football.
“I used to play football like every other young man. I was athletic, but now I cannot even walk short distances,” he had said.
Despite the physical challenges, Sulemana embraced the attention that came with being recognised as Ghana’s tallest man. Wherever he travelled, he proudly identified himself as a native of Gambaga in northern Ghana, helping draw national attention to the small community.
For years, he struggled to afford the specialised medical treatment his condition required. Earlier this year, businessman Ibrahim Mahama, the brother of Ghanaian President John Mahama, stepped in to finance his treatment after meeting him personally.
His family has announced that he will be buried in Tamale instead of his hometown of Gambaga, citing concerns that the village would be unable to accommodate the large number of mourners expected to attend his funeral.
