Ghana’s Sulemana Abdul Samed, 29, was told he might be as tall as 2.89 metres during a hospital check-up, the BBC reported this week.
But medics said they did not have proper measuring equipment, so a BBC reporter visited his village in northern Ghana with a tape measure in hand.
The tape showed Mr Samed to be 2.23 metres — well short of the world’s tallest man.
Ethiopian Negewo Jima saw the report and weighed in, claiming he is taller than Mr Samed. At 2.25 metres, Mr Jima claims to be Ethiopia’s tallest man.
Mr Jima took to Facebook on January 3 to say: “Bring him if you want — this man won’t be longer than me.”
He told the BBC: “From what I see in the photographs, I can guarantee he’s not longer than me.”
But both are way short of the man recognised as the tallest on the planet.
Guinness World Records recognises Turkish farmer Sultan Kosen as the tallest living person at 2.51 metres.
“I’ve held my record for 14 years. I will not lose my record to anyone. I’m determined about it,” Mr Kosen told Andalou news agency.
“I have the biggest feet in the world. I wear size 61 shoes.
“I also own the largest hands in the world. My records are registered. I am world cultural heritage.”
UK newspaper The Sun tracked down Mr Kosen in his village in eastern Turkey.
“I hear some news saying Sultan’s record is over, there are people taller than Sultan,” he said.
“If there is, let’s measure our height.”
But Mr Samed is not giving up hope of one day taking Mr Kosen’s world record.
“I’m still growing tall. Who knows, maybe one day I may get to that height too,” he said.
“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.”