Wednesday, July 29, 2026 - Ghana's tallest man, Sulemana Abdul Samed, widely known as Awuche, has died at the age of 33 after years of living with serious health challenges.
According to the BBC, Awuche died on Monday, July 27, at the
Tamale Teaching Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for infected
sores on his legs.
His family said the sores were not directly caused by Marfan
syndrome but were likely linked to complications from the genetic
disorder.
The BBC measured Awuche at 7ft 4in (223cm) in 2022, although
it was believed he may have grown taller before his death.
Awuche's life changed dramatically at the age of 22 while working at a butcher's shop in Accra. He recalled that his tongue suddenly became swollen, saying,
"I realised my tongue had expanded in my mouth to the
extent that I could not breath [properly]."
Days later, the rest of his body also began growing rapidly
before doctors diagnosed him with Marfan syndrome.
The illness eventually forced him to give up his ambition of
becoming a driver and return to his hometown of Gambaga. Speaking about his
declining health, he once said,
"I used to play football like every other young man...
now I cannot even walk short distances."
According to the platform, businessman Ibrahim Mahama,
brother of Ghanaian President John Mahama, stepped in to support Awuche's medical treatment
after he struggled to pay his hospital bills.
His family said he would be buried in Tamale instead of
Gambaga because they expect a large number of mourners to attend his funeral.
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