James Johnson, formerly known as Iyabo Abade during her tenure as a Super Falcons player from 1997 to 2000, is now seeking financial assistance from the Nigeria Football Federation.

Johnson, a confirmed hermaphrodite, is in need of N69.7 million for a corrective surgery that would enable him to bear children.

His journey began with a sex change operation in the United States in 2004, supported by then Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

The plea for assistance follows a history of unsuccessful efforts to address the condition, resulting in Johnson’s exclusion from the women’s national team.

Hermaphroditism, a condition characterized by the presence of both male and female reproductive organs, is more commonly observed in animals than in humans, making Johnson’s case particularly rare and complex.

Johnson disclosed that he reached out to the NFF for financial support last year to undergo the crucial surgery but has not received any response from the football body.

Expressing his deep desire for completion of the surgery and the opportunity to have children, the 40-year-old emphasized that achieving this milestone would bring him immense fulfillment.

He said “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.”

In a letter titled ‘Appeal for financial assistance to enable me finalize my surgery of transforming from an intersex person (possessing both male and female organs – hermaphrodite) to a fully fledged man so that I can father a child’, addressed to the NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, Johnson outlined his urgent need for financial support.

The letter dated April 4, 2023, read, “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.” Johnson added