BY GRACE ZIGAH
Ghana’s tallest man, Sulemana Abdul-Samed, popularly known as Awuche, has died after years of battling serious health complications associated with a rare growth disorder that transformed him into one of the country’s most recognisable personalities.
Awuche, who stood at approximately 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 metres), became a national sensation because of his extraordinary height, drawing attention both in Ghana and internationally.
His death comes only weeks after Ghanaian businessman Ibrahim Mahama reportedly offered to sponsor medical treatment for him as concerns mounted over his deteriorating health.
Despite the widespread public attention his height attracted, Awuche’s extraordinary growth was linked to a serious medical condition that caused significant health and mobility challenges.
Medical assessments identified his condition as acromegaly, an endocrine disorder associated with excessive production of growth hormone. Earlier reports had also described his condition as gigantism.
Awuche previously disclosed in an interview with the BBC that his unusual growth became noticeable when he was about 22 years old.
According to him, he gradually became considerably taller than his relatives and friends and continued experiencing changes in his height over time.
“Every three or four months I grow taller,” he once said while explaining why people who had not seen him for some time were often surprised by his changing appearance.
His unusual height eventually brought with it severe health challenges.
Awuche suffered chronic back pain and problems with his spine, while complications affecting one of his legs and feet also reportedly affected his mobility.
His height additionally made ordinary aspects of everyday life difficult, including finding appropriately sized clothes and footwear as well as getting a bed large enough to accommodate him comfortably.
Despite those difficulties and the fame that accompanied his unusual stature, Awuche maintained a relatively modest lifestyle.
He attended school and later worked as a farmer and mechanic while managing the physical difficulties associated with his medical condition.
Born Sulemana Abdul-Samed, he became widely known by the nickname “Awuche,” which has been translated from Hausa as “Let’s go.”
He identified strongly with both Gambaga and Nalerigu in Ghana’s North East Region. Although he grew up and lived in Gambaga, he maintained close connections with Nalerigu and regularly visited people there whom he considered family.
Awuche’s story eventually attracted national attention after his appearance at Ghana Senior High School (GHANASCO) during the institution’s 65th anniversary celebrations.
Photographs and videos showing his towering frame spread rapidly across social media, transforming him from a relatively little-known figure in northern Ghana into a national personality.
His story subsequently attracted international media attention, particularly as questions emerged about the medical condition responsible for his continuing growth.
The attention also exposed the difficulties he faced accessing specialised medical care to manage the complications associated with his condition.
In the weeks preceding his death, businessman Ibrahim Mahama reportedly stepped forward with an offer to support Awuche’s medical treatment, raising hopes that he could receive further specialised care.
However, his death has brought those hopes to an abrupt end.
