Ethiopian challenges Ghana’s tallest man claim

Nagawoo Jimaa, an Ethiopian has challenged a BBC report that suggests that 29-year-old Sulemana Abdul Samed from Ghana could be the tallest man in Africa.

The Ethiopian who measures 7 ft 4.6in (225cm) posted his picture alongside that of Sulemana Abdul Samed on Facebook saying “never give up”.

“Bring him if you want – this guy will not be longer than me,” he said in an earlier post.

Speaking to the BBC Nagawoo Jimaa said, “From what I see in the pictures, I can say he’s not longer than me.”

A local hospital in northern Ghana told 29-year-old Sulemana Abdul Samed during one of his recent check-ups that he had reached the height of 9 ft 6in (2.89m).

This would make him the tallest man in Ghana, but there was a catch – the rural clinic could not be sure of his height because it did not have the correct measuring tools.

Following the situation, a BBC reporter measured him and found him to be 7ft 4in – which is indeed shorter than the Ethiopian.

In the past, other Ethiopians have said they were taller than Mr Negewo but later found that this was not true.