ZAP //
Ghanaian Sulemana Abdul Samed is 2.89 meters tall
A local hospital in northern Ghana reported Sulemana Abdul Samed, 29, who was 2.89 meters tall – which would make him the tallest man in the world. But there was a problem: the clinic couldn’t be sure of his height, because they didn’t have adequate measuring tools.
diagnosed with gigantism A few years ago, the young man was at a monthly appointment to deal with the complications of his condition when he was asked to stand against a ruler.
The nurse was surprised: “You have grown more than the ruler”.
Better known by the nickname of Awuche, Sulemana was not surprised to learn that he was taller, since never stopped growing.
The nurse on duty called a colleague, who in turn asked another for help. Before long, a group of nurses and orderlies gathered to solve the mystery and determine his height.
When the journalist BBC Favor Nunoo first met Awuche a few months ago, not carrying a tape measure. To solve the problem, he returned to the village of Gambaga with a ribbon about 4.9 meters long.
A small problem was finding a sufficiently high wall, as Awuche is taller than most houses in its neighbourhood. When they found the right building, he took off his shoes—actually custom-made rubber tire slippers—and one of his neighbors climbed onto a bench to mark the wall.
When measuring him, the journalist found that the young man was 2.23 meters tall at the time, and noted that the record for the tallest man in the world was held by the Turkish Sultan Kosen, with 2.51 meters. “I am still growing. Who knows, maybe one day, it can reach that height too”, commented Awuche.
“Every three or four months I grow… If you haven’t seen me for three or four months, you realize that I’ve grown when you meet me”, he explained.
Sulemana is now 2.89 meters, and dreams of being recognized as the tallest in the world. Officially, the title still belongs to Sultan Kosen — who, in 2013, bought 58 shoes and got married.
The fight for the Guinness World Records’ Tallest Man in the World record is open, but it seems inevitable that, sooner or later, victory will smile at Awuche.
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The increase in height began to become noticeable when Awuche was 22 years old and living in the capital, Accra. The young man has marfan syndromea rare connective tissue disorder that causes abnormalities in the bones, eyes, and other parts of the body, such as the spine.
Awuche worked at a butcher shop, saving money to pay for school. One morning, he woke up confused: “I realized that my tongue had expanded in my mouth to the point where I couldn’t breathe well”, he said. Days later he noticed that every other part of his body had also started to increase in size.
When family and friends visited him, they all commented on his growth. It was then that he realized that, gradually, he was turn into a giant. He then sought medical help.
Her spine became abnormally curved, one of the symptoms of her condition, caused by mutations in the gene that codes for a protein called fibrillin — which results in abnormally long limbs, with the most serious complications involving heart problems.
Doctors say Awuche needs to undergo brain surgery to stop the growth. But Ghana’s public health insurance does not cover surgery, providing only basic treatment.
Six years ago, health problems forced him to return to his village and give up the dream of becoming a driver. “Even when I adjust the seat backwards, I can’t hold the steering wheel… I can’t stretch my legs because my knees hit the steering wheel”.
Now he lives with a brother, and has managed to open a small cell phone sales business. But she stopped being able to play sports. “I used to play football like any young man, I was athletic but now I can’t even walk short distances,” he explained.
Despite the difficulties, Awuche is hopeful — is a celebrity place. Some people ask him to take selfies – even strangers approach to ask if he is the “giant” they saw on social media. “I usually say yes, come closer; we stopped and took good pictures,” she reported.
The young man says he is grateful to the family for the emotional support, and that he does not know other family members who have the same health condition. “None of them are tall, I’m the tallest in the family.”
His priority now is trying to raise money to treat a serious skin problem on one leg caused by overgrowth. When looking at his toes, Awuche refuses to be discouraged.
“That’s what Allah chose for me, I’m fine. I have no issues with how God created me,” she concluded.
