Sulemana Abdul Samed, who stood 7ft 4in and became a beloved figure in northern Ghana, died in Tamale after complications linked to his condition

Ghana’s tallest man, Sulemana Abdul Samed, popularly known as Awuche, has died at the age of 33 at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, leaving behind a legacy that extended far beyond his extraordinary height.

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Awuche died on Monday after being admitted to the hospital in Tamale with infected sores on his legs, according to a BBC report on Tuesday evening. He had been receiving treatment in the northern Ghanaian city, about 160 kilometres from his home village of Gambaga.

His death has sparked an outpouring of grief, particularly in northern Ghana, where his remarkable stature made him a familiar and much-loved figure and helped bring national attention to his community.

A relative, Sulemana Abdul Kudus, described Awuche as a generous and kind-hearted man whose death had left the family and residents of Gambaga deeply shocked.

“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,” Kudus told the BBC.

Awuche was diagnosed with gigantism in his 20s and measured 7ft 4in (223cm) when the BBC met him in late 2022. He was believed to have grown even taller in the years that followed.

Known by the Hausa nickname Awuche, meaning “Let’s Go”, he lived with health complications associated with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting the body’s connective tissues and often linked to unusually long limbs.

His medical challenges were compounded by difficulties in paying for treatment until businessman Ibrahim Mahama, the brother of Ghanaian President John Mahama, reportedly stepped in to support his medical care at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

Mahama had also met Awuche and provided an update earlier this month on plans to support his treatment.

According to Kudus, the sores on Awuche’s legs were not directly caused by Marfan syndrome but were likely a complication associated with the condition.

Although doctors reportedly said Awuche had been responding well to treatment, he died on Monday morning.

“Everyone is just sad,” Kudus said, describing the reaction in Gambaga as one of shock and disbelief.

Beyond his health struggles, Awuche had become an important symbol of identity for his hometown. His extraordinary height drew attention wherever he travelled and helped put Gambaga on the map.

“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,” Kudus said.

“It gave the community identity, and he was popular as well.”

Awuche’s story was particularly striking because he had not always been exceptionally tall. His rapid growth reportedly began at the age of 22 while he was working at a butcher’s shop in Accra, Ghana’s capital.

Recounting the beginning of the dramatic changes to his body, Awuche previously told the BBC that he first noticed an unusual enlargement of his tongue.

“I realised my tongue had expanded in my mouth to the extent that I could not breath [properly],” he said.

He said the rest of his body began increasing in size within days, eventually leading doctors to diagnose him with Marfan syndrome.

The condition forced him to abandon his ambition of becoming a driver and return to Gambaga about nine years before his death.

His physical challenges also took away activities that had once been part of his everyday life.

“I used to play football like every other young man, I was athletic but now I cannot even walk short distances,” Awuche said.

Despite the limitations imposed by his condition, Awuche reportedly maintained a positive outlook and embraced the public attention that came with his extraordinary height.

His story resonated with many people because it combined the fascination surrounding his physical stature with the very human realities of living with a complex medical condition.

For the people of Gambaga, however, his death represents more than the loss of a local celebrity. Awuche was a familiar face who had become closely associated with the identity of the community and whose story had introduced the village to audiences far beyond northern Ghana.

His family has decided to bury him in Tamale rather than Gambaga, reportedly out of concern that the number of mourners expected to attend his funeral could overwhelm his home community.

As family, friends and admirers mourn his passing, Awuche will be remembered not only as Ghana’s tallest man but also as a resilient individual whose life story brought attention to the challenges faced by people living with rare and complex medical conditions.

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His journey from a young man with ambitions of becoming a driver to a nationally recognised figure is a poignant reminder that behind extraordinary physical characteristics lies an individual with hopes, struggles, resilience and a story of his own.