Nigeria
— Former Super Falcons player, Iyabo Abade, has
successfully undergone a sex change operation in the
United States. Abade, a confirmed hermaphrodite, left
Nigeria for the operation early last year after a series
of failed attempts to correct the abnormality that led to
his being dropped from the female national team.
He now bears the name
James Johnson.
Hermaphrodite is a person
or animal with both male and female organs. While it is
common with animals, it is rare in human beings.
The organs and functions
of one or both sexes usually develop imperfectly in a
hermaphrodite. So far, according to the World Book
Encyclopedia <http://www.worldbookonline.com/>,
few human cases have been reported.
The medical community has
not given a clear reason for this condition but the most
common cause is Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome.
The AIS is the condition
in which the body does not respond to the androgen being
produced.
The Falcon player
completed the test in the first week of January and did
the final operation two weeks later at Midway Hospital,
San Vincente Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.
Our source revealed that
a senior consultant to the hospital and a surgeon, Dr
Gary Alter, was the leader of the team that operated on
the Nigerian.
Johnson spent four weeks
in the hospital after the operation and is expected to
spend three more recuperating.
When our correspondent
called the hospital, Alter confirmed that Johnson had
been discharged.
"He is no longer here and
I don't want to speak further on him unless you get his
permission," he said.
The doctor referred our
correspondent to one Ms. Zena, who was not available to
pick the two calls put through to her.
Before now, the player
had undergone a series of tests, revealing that there was
a preponderance of male hormones in her system.
On the financial aspect,
Mr. Sam Etuks, a Nigerian journalist now based in the
USA, told our correspondent that the surgery was funded
from Nigeria.
Etuks, an executive of
Keay Consult, said over $29,200 was given to Johnson for
the surgery.
An official of the
Municipal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja, Mr Gozie Eze Onwurie, signed
the letter used to process and send the money to Johnson,
while the approval came from the Director of the
Department, Mrs. M.N. Ajanah.
Personal Assistant to Mrs
Ajanah, Mr. Sadiq Abubakar, told our correspondent that
the ministry was responsible, 100 per cent, for the
treatment of the former Falcons player.
He said, "We are so happy
with the development. The two operations were successful
and we have spoken to her after the operation. A total of
N5.9million was spent.
“It would have been
sad to allow a non-Nigerian or group to handle Iyabo's
matter. We are expecting her back soon and we intend to
give her a good reception.
“The minister of
FCT, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, gave us his full support and
we thank him for this gesture.”
Johnson last featured for
the Federal Capital Territory’s Queens Football Club
before confessing to being a hermaphrodite.
"I am happy that Nigeria
responded to the plight of Johnson. We were initially
misinformed that help was not coming from anywhere. But
we now know better," Etuks said.
"She was even given an
additional N 500, 000 for her upkeep aside from the
hospital bills. The dollar equivalent was sent to her
here in the US."
With the final operation
completed, the 19-year-old player is expected to live a
normal life as a man.
He told our correspondent
in an interview last year about his wish to play for the
national under 20 team, the Flying Eagles.
Incidentally, the
Nigerian U-20 team recently qualified for the 2005 World
Youth Championship, holding in Holland in June.
The player traded the
name Iyabo Abade for James Johnson at the preliminary
test stage to reflect his new status as a man.
Attempt on Thursday to
speak with Johnson failed.
He is said to be on
contract with a media organisation which is doing a
documentary on him.
