The tallest Soldier in Sudan (South Sudanese) Basna Balahu ( also known as Balihu) in 1935. Balihu was born in Gamella in the 1910s. It is thought that he was initially brought into court for crimes he committed.
The exceptional height of Balahu caused Sudanese Empire to free him and appoint him as the ‘Imperial Umbrella Carrier of the Lion of Judah’. Balahu also held the most envied post of the entire Sudanese Empire, that of a drum major as seen here in this photograph.
Standing tall at 7ft 5in, he is considered to be the tallest ever Sudanese soldier in 1936. When leader of Sudanese fled to French Somaliland as the Egyptian army advanced on the Capital, Balahu was left behind and jailed. Balihu was executed by the Egyptian army under charges of anti-egyptian activites and espionage, Making him a patriot!
Cc: Odehe Kojo
