Former Super Falcons Player Now Seeks ₦69 Million For Fatherhood Journey

Former Super Falcons Player Now Seeks ₦69 Million For Fatherhood JourneyJames Johnson, formerly known as Iyabo Abade during her tenure with the Nigerian Super Falcons from 1997 to 2000, has reached out to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to request financial assistance for a corrective surgery totaling ₦69.7 million. This surgery is crucial for Johnson, who is confirmed to be a hermaphrodite, in order to potentially conceive children.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Johnson, who underwent a sex reassignment surgery in 2004 in the United States with the support of then Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai, has faced significant challenges due to her condition.

The necessity for the surgery arose after previous attempts to address her hermaphroditism—an anomaly characterized by the presence of both male and female reproductive organs, which is rare in humans but more common in animals—proved unsuccessful, resulting in her exclusion from the women’s national team.

In an interview with Punch, Johnson expressed her profound desire to complete the final stages of her medical transition in order to fulfill her dream of starting a family.

She revealed that she had written to the NFF last year requesting financial aid for the procedure but has yet to receive a response.

Johnson stated, “Whenever I think about the fact that I am still unable to father a child, I feel broken, which is why I reached out to the federation for financial assistance. NFF president Ibrahim Gusau is someone with a receptive ear, and hopefully, through him, the federation can assist me in achieving my dream.”

In the letter addressed to NFF president Ibrahim Gusau, titled ‘Appeal for Financial Assistance to Enable me to Finalize my Surgery for Transforming from an Intersex Person (with both male and female organs – hermaphrodite) to a Full-Fledged Man so that I can Father a Child,’ dated April 4, 2023, Johnson stated that she requires the funds to undergo the final two phases of surgery necessary for her complete transition to a man.

The letter detailed, “My President, I am using this medium to passionately appeal to you for the sake of humanity and God to utilize your esteemed position to provide me with financial aid to facilitate my travel to the United States of America, where I underwent the first and second phases of surgery (at Midway Hospital Medical Centre, Los Angeles) for the surgery and treatment of the third and fourth phases of my transformation into a fully-fledged man, enabling me to father children.

“The total cost of the surgery and treatment is one hundred and sixty thousand dollars ($160,000), equivalent to sixty-nine million, seven hundred and fifty thousand naira (N69,750,000:00).”

Johnson’s letter to Gusau further elaborated, “I was born a hermaphrodite, i.e., with both female and male reproductive organs, and was raised as a female. I have a passion for football and excelled in the sport, which led to my selection to play for the Super Falcons in 1997. During my playing days, an issue arose that prompted a test, confirming my hermaphroditic condition, with 70% male and 30% female characteristics. Consequently, my appointment as a female player was terminated.

“The NFA (Nigeria Football Association) instructed me to undergo corrective surgery. In 2004, the then Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, sponsored my trip to the United States of America for the sex corrective surgery.

“I was informed that I would undergo four phases of surgery. The first and second phases were completed, and I was invited to join the Flying Eagles’ camp in 2005. I was coached by Samson Siasia, but I was dropped due to being overage.

“I managed to join NEPA Football Club of Abuja and later signed with Plateau United of Jos. Subsequently, I signed with Crown Football Club of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, where I experienced discrimination and humiliation.”