Ghana’s tallest man, Sulemana Abdul Samed, has died at the age of 33 after receiving treatment for serious health problems linked to his unusual growth. Samed, who was widely known as Awuche, died at Tamale Teaching Hospital on Monday, 27 July 2026, weeks after appealing for help with his medical costs.
The 7ft 4in Ghanaian had become a familiar figure across Ghana after his height attracted national and international attention.
His family said his condition had worsened before he was taken to hospital. He had reportedly been receiving treatment for infected sores on his legs and other complications connected to his health.
Relatives said he had appeared to be improving before his condition changed suddenly.
Samed’s death has led to messages of sympathy from people in northern Ghana, particularly in Gambaga, the community where he lived and became a local celebrity.
Who was Ghana’s tallest man?
Samed was measured at 7ft 4in, or about 223 centimetres, during a BBC report in 2022. His relatives believed he may have continued growing after that measurement.
He was popularly called Awuche, a Hausa expression translated as “Let’s go”. His height made him one of the most recognisable people in his home area.
Samed had not always been unusually tall. He previously said he began noticing major changes in his body while working at a butcher’s shop in Accra in his early twenties.
According to earlier accounts, his tongue became enlarged and caused breathing difficulties. Other parts of his body then began to grow rapidly.
Doctors reportedly diagnosed him with a growth-related condition. Some reports have described it as gigantism, while others have linked his symptoms to Marfan syndrome.
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Marfan syndrome is a rare genetic disorder affecting the connective tissues that support the body’s organs and other structures. People with the condition may be tall and slim, with long arms, legs, fingers and toes.
However, being unusually tall does not automatically mean a person has Marfan syndrome. A medical diagnosis normally requires an assessment of several symptoms and, in some cases, genetic testing.
The condition can affect the skeleton, eyes, blood vessels and heart. Its effects differ from one patient to another.
Medical treatment and public appeal
In the weeks before his death, Samed had reportedly sought financial support for an operation on his leg.
Ghanaian businessman Ibrahim Mahama later offered to cover his medical expenses after the appeal became public. Mahama is the brother of Ghanaian President John Mahama.
Samed was then referred to Tamale Teaching Hospital as his condition became more serious.
His family said the sores on his legs were not necessarily caused directly by his underlying condition. However, his unusual size and wider health problems may have made treatment and movement more difficult.
No detailed medical statement giving the precise cause of his death had been made public at the time of writing. It would therefore be inaccurate to conclude that his height alone caused his death.
Height changed his plans
Samed once hoped to become a driver, but his continuing growth made it difficult for him to fit inside vehicles and carry out ordinary tasks.
He eventually left Accra and returned to Gambaga, where residents supported him as he dealt with the physical and financial effects of his condition.
Finding suitable clothes, shoes and transport was a regular problem. Medical treatment also became more complicated because equipment and facilities are generally designed for people of average height.
Despite those difficulties, relatives described him as generous and friendly. They said his public profile helped many people identify Gambaga as the home of Ghana’s tallest man.
His family reportedly decided that he would be buried in Tamale rather than Gambaga because of the large number of mourners expected to attend.
Samed’s story also draws attention to the cost of treating rare and long-term medical conditions across Africa, where some patients rely on relatives, public appeals or private donors to pay for specialist care.
