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The Ghanaian giant reported to be the world’s tallest man
This would make him the tallest man in the world, however there was a catch – the rural clinic couldn’t be positive of his top as a result of it didn’t have the right measuring instruments.
Diagnosed with gigantism a number of years in the past, the younger man was attending a month-to-month appointment to take care of the issues of dwelling as a giant when he was requested to stand straight in opposition to a measuring rod.
A shocked nurse advised him: “You’ve grown taller than the scale.”
Better recognized to everybody by his nickname Awuche, which implies “Let’s Go” in Hausa, he was bemused by the spectacle he was inflicting.
He was not shocked to hear he was taller, given he has by no means stopped rising – nevertheless it brought on consternation for the workers, who weren’t ready for such a state of affairs.
The responsibility nurse known as out to her colleague, who in flip known as out to one other for assist. Before lengthy a gaggle of nurses and well being assistants gathered to resolve the puzzle of figuring out his top.
One advised they discover a pole and use it as an extension above their stick to measure his top – and that is how they arrived at their estimate.
When I first got here throughout Awuche a number of months in the past when travelling in northern Ghana, the place his fame had unfold throughout the space’s grasslands, I didn’t have a measuring tape on me to confirm his top.
So so as to settle the matter – and armed with a 16ft measuring tape – I returned to the village of Gambaga final week.
The plan was to have him lean in opposition to a wall, mark it by the crown of his head after which decide his top utilizing the measuring tape.
“The way they measure me, I cannot say everything is perfect,” Awuche admitted – proud of my plan to get an actual measurement.
He turned out to be taller than most of the homes in his neighbourhood, however after a very good search we discovered an appropriate constructing with a high-enough wall.
He took off his sneakers – massive slip-ons specifically constructed from automobile tyres and nailed collectively for him by an area handyman as he has been unable to discover sneakers to match him.
One of his neighbours clambered up on a picket stool to attain Awuche’s top so he might mark the wall with a chunk of charcoal.
After verifying the line, we stretched out the measuring tape firmly from the marked line to the floor as Awuche regarded on in anticipation.
“Awuche, the measuring tape reads 7ft 4in,” I stated.
Wearing his inimitable smile, he replied: “Wow, so what does it mean?”
“Well, the tallest man alive is 8ft 2.8in tall, he is barely one foot taller than you.”
“I’m still growing tall. Who knows, maybe one day I may get to that height too,” Awuche remarked – by no means upset by the discrepancy with the determine given to him by the hospital.
“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 realised I have increased,” he explains.
This improve in top began to turn into noticeable when he was 22 years previous and dwelling in the capital, Accra.
Awuche had moved there to attempt his luck in the metropolis, the place certainly one of his brothers lived, after ending secondary faculty.
He was working at a butchers, saving cash to take classes at a driving faculty.
But he awakened one morning in confusion: “I realised my tongue had expanded in my mouth to the extent that I could not breath [properly],” he recounts.
He visited an area pharmacy to get some treatment, nevertheless days later he realised each different a part of his physique had began growing in dimension.
When household and pals from his village visited the metropolis, they might all comment on his progress spurt and it was at this level he realised he was regularly turning right into a giant.
He started to tower over everybody – and he sought medical assist as the progress introduced different issues.
He has been left with an abnormally curved backbone, certainly one of the outstanding signs of his situation, Marfan syndrome, a genetic dysfunction affecting the physique’s connective tissues.
It leads to abnormally lengthy limbs.
More critical issues contain coronary heart defects.
Doctors say he wants a surgical process in his mind to cease the progress.
But Ghana’s public healthcare insurance coverage can’t cowl this, offering just for primary therapy.
For every hospital go to he should nonetheless increase about $50 (£40).
His well being issues ultimately pressured him to return to his dwelling village six years in the past and quit his goals of turning into a driver.
“I was planning to go to driving school, but even when I shift the seat back, I can’t hold the steering wheel… I can’t stretch my leg because my knee will knock the wheel.”
He is now dwelling together with his brother – and will get by after organising a small enterprise promoting cell phone credit.
His top has additionally curtailed his social life.
“I used to play football like every other young man, I was athletic but now I cannot even walk short distances,” he defined.
But Awuche doesn’t let his issues get him down. He is filled with soul as his tall slim body weaves by means of the dusty paths of the village – smiling as folks name out to him.
He is a little bit of an area movie star.
A gaggle of aged folks sitting by a shed trade pleasantries, kids wave, some ladies come up for a hug and share jokes with him.
Some folks need to take selfies with him – even strangers come up to ask if he’s the giant they’ve seen on social media.
“I usually will say: ‘Yes come closer’ – we stand and take nice pictures,” Awuche says.
He is most grateful to his household for his or her emotional assist, saying that he is aware of of no different family members, together with his three brothers, who present any signal of getting his situation.
“None of them are tall, I am just the tallest man.”
He would love to get married and have kids sooner or later however needs to first focus on finding out his well being.
His first precedence is to attempt to increase cash for cosmetic surgery to take care of a critical pores and skin grievance on one leg, ankle and foot attributable to the extra progress of the limb.
But taking a look at his bandaged toes, Awuche refuses to be disheartened by his predicament.
“That is how Allah chose it for me, I am OK. I don’t have a problem with the way God created me.”
Source: Favour Nunoo, BBC
Source: www.pulse.com.gh
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ASWIM lauds Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
The Association of Women in the Media, (ASWIM) has congratulated Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on her historic achievement as Ghana’s first female Vice President.
The association said her trailblazing journey with sterling accomplishments from academia to politics, is undoubtedly, a vivid inspiration to countless women and girls across Ghana and Africa.
This was contained in a statement signed by its president, Mrs Mavis Kitcher, and copied to The Spectator on Tuesday in Accra.
“ASWIM celebrates your remarkable career, marked by numerous firsts, including the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, (UCC), and the first female to hold a professional chair in Ghana, (UCC),” the statement said.
It said the accomplishments of Prof Opoku- Agyemang were clear testament to the brilliance, resilience and resourceful nature of the complete beautiful African woman.
“As she takes on this new role, ASWIM proudly lauds her commitment to education, women’s empowerment, distinguished public service and patriotism and is very confident that her pursuit of excellence, love for humanity, humility, decency, modesty and commitment to the welfare of the vulnerable will characterise Ghana’s political leadership and public service,” the statement added.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Entertainment
Demolition of Fantasy Dome unfair — Mark Okraku-Mantey
Months after the Fantasy Dome was dismantled to make way for construction at the Ghana International Trade Fair site, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, has expressed concern over the manner the facility was destroyed.
In an interview on Daybreak Hitz with Andy Dosty, Mr Okraku-Mantey criticised the handling of the dome’s dismantling, suggesting that it could have been done without causing damage.
“I don’t think that leadership gave instructions that they should do what happened. The structure was a prefab but I hear the people destroyed it. That one, we cannot defend it. It is unfair to him (owner). Sometimes, you give instructions and people will go and do things that will make you look bad,” he stated.
When asked about any punitive measure against the workers responsible for the destruction, Mr Okraku-Mantey clarified that the Trade Fair does not fall under his ministry.
He said he had previously contacted the owner, Leslie Quaynor, to discuss relocating the dome, and even suggested the National Museum as a potential site, though it was too small.
The demolition of the 20,000-seater Fantasy Dome occurred on March 16, 2024.
According to Dr Agnes Adu, CEO of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, the action was taken after multiple notices were given to Quaynor to vacate the premises for redevelopment, as per their tenancy agreement.
Dr Adu noted that all previous tenants had complied except for the Fantasy Dome.
Quaynor, in an interview with JoyNews, confirmed that his lease had ended, and was in the process of relocating the dome.
He had requested an extension, which was denied, leading him to seek a writ and an injunction from an Accra High Court to halt the demolition.
Despite this, the demolition proceeded, causing significant damage to the structure.
Quaynor described the incident as a major setback, not only for his business but also for the entertainment industry, which relies on venues like the Fantasy Dome.
