Abdul-Samed Sulemana, known widely as Awuche and recognized as Ghana’s tallest man, has died from complications linked to gigantism.
He passed away in the early hours of Monday, July 27, 2026, at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where doctors had been treating him after his condition deteriorated in recent weeks. He was 33 years old.
His death comes just weeks after businessman and philanthropist Ibrahim Mahama pledged to cover the full cost of his medical treatment, a commitment made after a public appeal drew attention to his worsening health.
A worsening condition
Awuche’s health declined sharply after complications tied to gigantism set in. Doctors at the Baptist Medical Centre in Nalerigu referred him to the Tamale Teaching Hospital for specialized care once his condition passed beyond what the facility could manage.
His family said doctors at the referral hospital later recommended amputating his left leg. A severe infection had caused extensive tissue damage, and physicians determined the limb could not be saved.
For years, Awuche lived with gigantism, a condition caused by excess growth hormone production that leads to abnormal skeletal growth. He stood at approximately 7 feet 8 inches, a height that made him a recognized figure across Ghana and earned him the distinction of the country’s tallest man. He was a native of Gambaga in the North East Region.
Despite the severity of his illness, he could not afford the specialist treatment he needed. Public appeals eventually drew national attention to his case, generating an outpouring of support and prompting Mahama’s intervention.
Mahama’s pledge of support
Rafik Mahama, an aide to the businessman, confirmed the commitment in a Facebook post, saying he had personally reached out to Awuche and his family. “On behalf of Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, I have reached out to Awuche and his family to assure them of our full support during this challenging time,” he wrote.
He said the businessman had agreed to fund both surgery and other treatment costs. “Mr Ibrahim Mahama has pledged to fully cover Auche’s hospital bills, including the costs of his medical treatment and surgery,” Rafik Mahama added.
According to Rafik Mahama, arrangements were made to transfer Awuche to the Tamale Teaching Hospital on Tuesday, July 8, 2026. He was admitted there and began undergoing treatment shortly after.
The pledge offered a measure of hope after months in which Awuche’s inability to pay for specialist care had drawn sympathy from Ghanaians who followed his story. His case became a rallying point for public fundraising efforts as his health continued to decline, and it eventually reached Mahama, whose intervention gave the family and the wider public reason to believe recovery was possible.
Tributes follow his death
News of his death spread quickly on social media, where Ghanaians shared tributes and expressed sorrow that the medical intervention arrived too late to save him. Many who had followed his story since the initial appeal for help described a sense of disbelief that his fight ended despite the support he ultimately received.
Awuche’s case had become a symbol of the gap between the cost of specialist medical treatment and what many Ghanaian families can afford on their own. His public appeal, and the response it generated, put a spotlight on gigantism, a rare condition that few in the country had discussed openly before his story spread.
He leaves behind family, friends, and a community that rallied around him during his final weeks. Members of that community had followed each update on his condition, from his referral to Tamale Teaching Hospital to the amputation recommendation and, finally, to Mahama’s pledge of support.
No further details about funeral arrangements had been released at the time of this report. Family members had asked for privacy in the immediate aftermath of his death, while continuing to express gratitude for the support Awuche received during his final weeks, including the medical intervention funded by Mahama.
His story, from the public appeal that drew national attention to the businessman’s pledge to cover his treatment, remains a widely discussed example of how public pressure and private philanthropy intersected in an attempt to save a life that ultimately could not be saved.
