- A local hospital in northern Ghana told 29-year-old Sulemana Abdul Samed during one of his recent check-ups that he had reached the height of 9 ft 6in.
- This would make him the tallest man in the world.
- But there was a catch – the rural clinic could not be sure of his height because it did not have the correct measuring tools.
Diagnosed with gigantism a few years ago, the young man was attending a monthly appointment to deal with the complications of living as a giant when he was asked to stand straight against a measuring rod.
Taller Than The Scale
A shocked nurse told him: “You’ve grown taller than the scale.” Better known to everyone by his nickname Awuche, which means “Let’s Go” in Hausa, he was bemused by the spectacle he was causing. He was not surprised to hear he was taller, given he has never stopped growing – but it caused consternation for the staff, who were not prepared for such a scenario. The duty nurse called out to her colleague, who in turn called out to another for help. Before long a group of nurses and health assistants gathered to solve the puzzle of determining his height.
Still Growing
“The way they measure me, I cannot say everything is perfect,” Awuche admitted. He turned out to be taller than most of the houses in his neighborhood, but after a good search we found a suitable building with a high-enough wall. One of his neighbors clambered up on a wooden stool to reach Awuche’s height so he could mark the wall with a piece of charcoal. “I’m still growing tall. Who knows, maybe one day I may get to that height too,” Awuche remarked – not at all upset by the discrepancy with the figure given to him by the hospital.
Local Celebrity
Awuche does not let his problems get him down. He is full of soul as his tall slim frame weaves through the dusty paths of the village – smiling as people call out to him. He is a bit of a local celebrity. A group of elderly people sitting by a shed exchange pleasantries, children wave, some women come up for a hug and share jokes with him. Some people want to take selfies with him – even strangers come up to ask if he is the giant they have seen on social media.
He is most grateful to his family for their emotional support, saying that he knows of no other relatives, including his three brothers, who show any sign of having his condition. His first priority is to try and raise money for plastic surgery to deal with a serious skin complaint on one leg, ankle and foot caused by the excess growth of the limb. He would love to get married and have children one day but wants to first concentrate on sorting out his health.
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Source: BBC
