Ghana is mourning the death of the country's tallest man, Suleyman Abdul-Samed, whose towering height had turned him into a national celebrity. His passing has prompted an outpouring of grief across the country, where he was widely known and had become a familiar public figure over the years.
The 23-year-old died in hospital in Tamale, in northern Ghana, on Monday. He had been admitted after sores on his legs became infected, a problem that was described as likely being a complication arising from his underlying condition rather than an unrelated illness on its own.
Abdul-Samed had long lived with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that had left him with extremely long limbs. It was this condition that shaped both his remarkable stature and many of the health challenges he faced throughout his short life, requiring continued medical attention.
His height had drawn attention well beyond Ghana. When the BBC measured him in late 2022, he stood 7 feet 4 inches tall, and he is believed to have continued growing in the years that followed, which only added to the fascination that surrounded him at home and abroad.
Across the country he was known simply by his nickname, Awuche, which means let's go in the Hausa language. The name followed him everywhere he went, and he was often referred to affectionately as the giant of Gambaga, the town associated with his story.
Behind the public attention, however, Abdul-Samed struggled to cover the cost of his medical care. His condition required ongoing treatment, and paying for it had become a growing burden for him and for those closest to him in recent times.
Earlier this month he found support from a prominent benefactor. Ibrahim Mahama, a brother of Ghana's president John Mahama, met him and offered to cover his medical bills at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. His death on Monday, only weeks later, has been met with sorrow by the many Ghanaians who had come to know him.