Tallest man of Nigeria dies at 47

Afeez Agoro, popularly known as Nigeria’s tallest man has died. In a phone conversation with a female relative who did not want her name mentioned, it was confirmed to Daily Trust that the entertainer is dead. In an emotion-laden voice, when asked about Agoro, the lady simply said sobbing, “It is true. He is gone. He is dead. Please, I will call you back.” Then she hung up the phone.

It was gathered that Agoro died at a Lagos hospital on Wednesday evening, after a prolonged battle with Acromegaly, commonly known as gigantism.

Born Afeez Agoro Oladimeji on December 13 was previously recognised as the tallest man in Nigeria. At 2.25 metres (7 ft 5 in), he stood shorter than his 2.41 metres (7 ft 11 in) compatriot, Abiodun Adegoke, who is likely the tallest man in Nigeria.

Agoro was born in Sabo Yaba, Lagos State, as the last child of three children for his mother who was the second wife of his late father.

It was gathered that he had normal growth until he developed an ailment at the age of nineteen and when taken to a hospital, he was diagnosed with Acromegaly, known commonly as gigantism, which made him grow vertically at a very rapid rate. Agoro unsuccessfully tried to combat the ailment and stood at 7’5″ which made him among the tallest people in Africa.

As an entertainer, in 2003, upon graduating from the Lagos State Polytechnic, Afeez Agoro went for his compulsory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in Kolokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Agoro later had the opportunity to feature in movies and in August 2018, I Am Agoro, a Reality TV show which centred around his life and what it feels like living as the tallest man in Nigeria aired exclusively on Linda Ikeji TV.

By Ademola Olonilua, Daily Trust