Obwot Solomon

Uganda once had a man whose coffin was too long for his grave. His name was John Paul Ofwono. He was born in Yokolo Village, Tororo. In 1999, his family claimed he was 9 feet tall. This meant he was potentially the tallest man in the world. Guinness wanted proof. They asked Richard Stockley of the British High Commission, Uganda to measure him. After rigorous measurements, Ofwono was shown to be 7 ft 6.5 in. Some conspiracy theories rejected the results saying the Western world just didn't want an African to appear in the World Book of records as the tallest human alive. The record at the time was held by an American known as Robert Wadlow at 8feet and 11 inches. Anyway, Ofwono automatically became Uganda's tallest man and a national celebrity. Some accounts show that he was the 3rd tallest person in the world. A 1-litre Coca Cola soda bottle was nicknamed “Ofwono” because of its unusual length. He made money as a billboard ambassador for a number of brands. This changed his life and that of his family. Where Ofwono grew up, Lakwena rebels always made people run away from their home. One day Ofwono spotted armed Lakwena rebels feasting on mangoes by the main road in Yokolo. Unbothered by their guns, the giant walked to the tree and picked mangoes with ease. The stunned rebels, who had never seen him before, reportedly fled in fright, with some falling to the ground. Most escaped, while two reportedly suffered fractures and were later handed over to Government soldiers. The incident changed residents' attitude towards the rebels, with many becoming less fearful and beginning to hunt them down. Ofwono's love life was dramatic. His lovers kept on running away from him after a while. This was because, he never stopped growing taller. At long last, Ofwono found love. However, he refused to go for treatment in India out of fear of losing his lover. 3R, his employer, wanted to handle his medical bill. Ofwono died in 2003, aged 43, after suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and a brain tumour that caused excessive growth hormone production. At his funeral, they discovered his coffin could not fit in the grave. The grave had to be extended by another 45 minutes before Uganda's giant could finally be buried. John Paul Ofwono.