Former Super Falcons player Iyabo Abade has requested a sum of N69.7 million from the Nigeria Football Federation to undergo a second surgery that will enable him to become a father.
In 2004, Iyabo Abade, who was born a hermaphrodite, underwent sex change surgery to fully become a man and thereafter changed his name to Johnson James. He has now written to the NFF to come to his aid so he can undergo another corrective surgery that will enable him to perform his sexual obligations as a man.
In an exclusive interview with The Punch, Johnson said he feels broken whenever he remembers his inability to father a baby and admitted that he has reached out to the NFF to help him raise funds for the surgery:
“Anytime I think that I can’t father a child yet, I feel broken. That’s why I wrote to the federation for financial assistance. The NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, is a man with a listening ear, and hopefully, through him, the federation can help me achieve my dream.”
Johnson, who had wished to become the first player ever to play for both the male and female national teams of Nigeria, saw his football career collapse due to his inability to properly determine his sex. He recounted how he had to disguise himself during trials to avoid discrimination.
In an interview with Tana Aiyejina in 2016, Johnson asserted that he played for NEPA FC and Plateau United as a male footballer, but they didn’t believe he could deliver even after being among the top five shortlisted from 100 players who came for trials.
“I played for NEPA FC and Plateau United. At Plateau, they always brought me in as a late substitute because they didn’t believe I could play. But we were five selected out of over 100 players that came for trials. If I was not good, why did they pick me from such a large number of players?”
The letter titled “Appeal for financial assistance to enable me finalise my surgery of transforming from an inter sex person (male and female organs – hermaphrodite) to full fledged man so that I can father a child” and addressed to the NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, Johnson revealed he needed the money to undergo the final two phases of his surgery that would make become a man completely.
The letter which was forward to NFF last year stated:
“My President, I am using this medium to passionately appeal to you for God and humanity sake, to use your good office to assist me financially to enable me travel to the United State of America where I did the 1 & 2 phase of surgery (Midway Hospital Medical Centre, Los Angeles) for the surgery and treatment of the 3rd and 4th phase of my transformation to a full fledge man so that I can father children.
“The total cost of the surgery and treatment is one hundred and sixty thousand dollar ($160,000) equivalent to sixty nine million seven hundred and fifty thousand naira (N69,750,000:00).”
The letter to Gusau added, “I was born hermaphrodite i.e both female and male organs and was brought up as a female. I love football and played very well, that led to my selection to play for the Super Falcons in 1997. During my days of playing, an issue ensued that led to a test, which confirmed that I am a hermaphrodite, 70% male and 30% female. This led to terminating my appointment as a female player.
“The NFA (Nigeria Football Association) instructed that I should go for sex corrective surgery. The then Minister of Federal Capital Territory Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in 2004 sponsored my trip to the United State of America to undergo the sex corrective surgery.
“I was told that I’m going to undergo four phases of surgery. The first and second phase was done and I was invited to join the Flying Eagles in camp in 2005. I was coached by Samson Siasia, but I was dropped due to overage.
“I was able to sign up with NEPA Football Club of Abuja, from there I signed for Plateau United of Jos. I later went on to sign up with Crown Football Club of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, where I was discriminated against and humiliated.”
The 40 year-old played actively for the Super Falcons from late 90s to early 2000, after which he continued his career with several male Football teams such as Plateau United, NEPA FC and Crown FC.
