29-year-old man Sulemana Abdul Samed stands tall at seven feet four inches. Twitter/@Karugire97
Stories about the world’s highest, tallest, biggest and largest have always piqued our curiosity.
Thus a report about the world’s tallest man being discovered in Ghana captured the imagination of many.
A Ghana clinic claimed 29-year-old Sulemana Abdul Samed measured in at an incredible 9 foot six inches.
However, doctors and nurses could not be completely certain of his measurements as they do not have the proper tools.
So, what’s the real story? Let’s take a closer look:
Who is Sulemana Abdul?
Sulemana Abdul Samed, better known as Awuche (‘Let’s Go’ in the Hausa language), from a village in Northern Ghana, was diagnosed with gigantism several years ago and has never stopped growing, as per Economic Times.
It was in Accra, at age 22, that Samed began turning heads.
He moved to the capital to live with his brother after finishing secondary school.
Though he wanted to be a driver, health issues caused him to move back to his village.
He recalled waking up one morning to find his tongue had grown so large that he could not breathe properly.
Measuring Samed’s height
Samed is taller than most of the homes in his village where he has become a local celebrity.
According to a report by Economic Times, the nurses and doctors at a local clinic tried multiple ways to measure Samed’s height including using a pole and stick.
Samed told BBC, “The way they measure me, I cannot say everything is perfect.”
It was a 16-foot tape measure from a BBC journalist that finally settled the issue.
Samed measured from the crown of his head to the floor while standing against a wall.
The result? Samed was revealed to be seven foot four inches tall.
That’s a foot shorter than Turkey’s Sultan Kosen, holder of the ‘tallest man alive’ title from the Guinness World Records.
Still growing, says Samed
But Samed insists he hasn’t finished growing.
“I’m still growing tall. Who knows, maybe one day I may get to that height too,” Samed said, referring to Kosen.
“Every three months of four months I grow… If you’ve not seen me for three months or four, and you see me, you’d realise I have increased,” he added.
About Marfan Syndrome
Samed suffers from Marfan Syndrome which has left him with an abnormally curved spine, as per BBC.
The disorder, a genetic one, affects the body’s connective tissues and results in abnormally long limbs.
Doctors believe Samed will need brain surgery to stop his growth.
But Samed refuses to lose heart.
“That is how Allah chose it for me, I am OK. I don’t have a problem with the way God created me,” he told BBC.
With inputs from agencies
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