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Indonesian Female Volleyball Player Confirmed To Be A Man After 28 Years (Pics)

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For years, Aprilia Santini Manganang and the Indonesian Women’s Volleyball Association had been fighting off accusations that she was actually a man, but this year, Manganang was finally confirmed to actually be male.

A member of Indonesia’s national women’s volleyball team, Aprilia Manganang also played in several local club teams in Indonesia, as well as in Thailand. She led the Jakarta Electric PLN women’s team to become the champion of the Proliga in 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2019, she became champion again with the Jakarta PGN Popsivo Polwan team, before transferring to the Generali Supreme Chonburi-E Tech team in the Thai Volleyball League and winning the championship that same year.

Manganang won multiple Most Valuable Player awards in her career, and helped the Indonesian national team win the bronze and silver medals at different editions of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA). But her amazing achievements were always put into question, because of haw she looked.

With big shoulders, muscular physique, flat chest and visible mustache, Aprilia Manganang was never the most feminine volleyball player. Her ability to soar into the air and smash the ball into the opponents’ half won her the nickname “monster of the vertical jump”, but also fueled more allegations about her true gender.

Before the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore, Philippine volleyball officials protested and demanded that Aprilia Santini Manganang be subjected to a gender test, but the Southeast Asian Games Federation medical committee ruled against it, and Manganang was allowed to compete in the women’s team at that edition of the games and several subsequent others.

“I have undergone gender examinations a lot of times both in my former career as a sprinter and in volleyball and I wasn’t afraid of being tested again. I am ready (for a gender test). I am also not in the wrong — whatever I have is given from above,” the volleyball player said at the time. “If I am the one who is in the wrong then I will withdraw, but this is not the case and I am not afraid.”

The controversy around Aprilia’s gender continued until September of last year, when the decided to retire from women’s volleyball at the age of 28. Her decision left a lot of people in shock, especially because she had been so successful in the sport up to that point.

“On this occasion, I will tell Indonesian volleyball lovers that I am Aprilia Manganang have decided to resign from the world of volleyball,” she wrote on her Instagram account. “I made this decision, because I want to live a better life, want to reach the truth in my heart peacefully. Therefore, this is the best decision for me.”

Following her retirement as a professional athlete, Aprilia pursued a military career, as a second sergeant in the Army Women’s Corps. It was here that she was finally confirmed to be male, after living the past 28 years of her life as a woman.

According to the Independent Observer, when Aprilia Santini Manganang was examined at the Robert Wolter Monginsidi Army Hospital in Manado, there were clear indications that she wasn’t actually a woman. Due to limited testing equipment at the hospital, she was set to the Gatot Subroto Army Central Hospital in Jakarta for further checks. The Army’s official statement this month was pretty clear.

“Today I want to convey information about one of the Army soldiers, namely Second Sergeant Aprilia Santini Manganang. Aprilia Manganang is not as lucky as all of us. So when she was born, this child had abnormalities in the reproductive system. In health terminology it is called Hypospadias,” Army Chief Andika Perkasa said.

“From the results of the examination, it turns out that from the urological examination, Sergeant Manganang has more male sex organs, he does not even have female internal organs,” Andika added.

“Then the hormonal tests were giving the same results. The hormone testosterone was also measured and it was found that Sergeant Manganang has hormonal levels that fall into the normal male category. MRI radiological examinations also revealed the same thing.”

The former star volleyball player was quick to adopt her true gender, changing her name to Aprilio Perkasa Manganang, adopting a new, more masculine haircut and men’s clothing. He even put out a statement about how relieved he was about the news.

“This is a moment that I have been waiting for, I am really happy. Praise the Lord, I can get through this, I thank you all for helping me to find myself,” Manganang said during a virtual conference. “I thank the doctors who have helped me, I am very happy, I have been waiting for 28 years and finally this year it was achieved.”

Indonesian news outlets reported that Aprilio was born with hypospadias, the second-most common birth abnormality of the male reproductive system. It is characterized by the fact that the urethra does not open from its usual location in the head of the penis, but at the base. Due to limited medical equipment at the time, he was identified as possessing female Instruments, and lived as a woman for 28 years of his life.

Financial issues prevented Aprilio’s family from carrying out further medical investigations, so the female gender was recorded on his birth certificate and identity card.

Aprilio Manganang’s story went viral in Indonesia, with most reactions towards his true gender reveal being positive, although there were those who brought all those achievements in women’s volleyball into question, now that he has finally been confirmed a man.

  

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JUST IN: Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun joins ancestors at 81

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The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun has joined his ancestors after a brief illness.

He joined his ancestors at the age of 81.

It was gathered that the late monarch was taken to the hospital Wednesday morning having stayed indoor throughout Tuesday on account of slight malaria fever, though, he was hail and hearty on Monday during which he personally received few guests that paid him congratulatory visits on his second year anniversary on that day.

Making this announcement was the Baba-Kekere Olubadan and his younger brother, Dr Kola Balogun in a statement by the Personal Assistant (Media) to the late monarch, Oladele Ogunsola.

According to the statement, Dr. Balogun disclosed that Oba Balogun would be buried at his Aliiwo ancestral home by 4.00pm on Friday according to Islamic rites just as he said that the State Governor Seyi Makinde, though already verbally informed, would be formally notified early in the morning.

The late Olubadan was the first most educated to have emerged as Ibadan monarch, a British trained P.hd holder, a former university lecturer, former member of management staff of Shell British Petroleum, former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Nigeria People’s Party, NPP, former Senator and a successful business man.

His last official outing was the Olubadan Advisory Council’s meeting which he presided over last Saturday where the decision to derobed Mogaji Akinsola, Olawale Oladoja was taken.

He however, on Tuesday instructed the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade to midwife a small committee to deliberate on last Friday’s decision on what should be the position of Ibadan Zone in the proposed newly reconstituted Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

The decision of the small committee was earlier on Thursday ratified by the Olubadan Advisory Council at a meeting presided over by Otun Olubadan and the former governor of Oyo State, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja and was to be taken to the late Oba Balogun for his signature Friday morning so as to meet the deadline for submission to the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters later in the day.

The late Olubadan is survived by wives, children and grandchildren.

Announcing the passage of the monarch, Governor Makinde, in a statement, stated that Olubadan, who joined his ancestors late Thursday evening at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, described him as an epitome of royal excellence and a great achiever, who made great marks on Ibadanland in just a little over two years of his reign.

He expressed his condolences to the Olubadan-in-Council, the Oyo State Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland and Oyo State, praying to God to grant repose to the soul of the deceased monarch.

Makinde said: “With total submission to the will of God, I announce the passing unto glory of our father, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Mohood Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“A mighty Iroko has fallen; Oba Dr. Balogun has joined the ancestors.

“In Kabiyesi, Ibadanland had a cosmopolitan and well-experienced Olubadan, who made indelible marks on the sands of history and achieved greatly within a short while.

“On behalf of the Government and good People of Oyo State, I condole with the immediate family of the Oba Dr. Balogun, the Olubadan-in-Council, the Oyo State Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland.

“It is my prayer that God grants repose to the soul of our late monarch.”

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JUST IN: Labour Party National Chairman, Abure arrested for attempted murder in Edo (Video)

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Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure.

Abure was arrested on Wednesday in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on allegations of premeditated attempted murder, amongst other alleged infractions.

The Labour Party chairman’s arrest followed a petition by the LP Youth Leader, Comrade Eragbe Anselm Aphimia.

The petition, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, dated February 13, partly reads, “I, Comrade Eragbe Anselm, write to you with utmost urgency and grave concern regarding a heinous act of violence perpetrated against me on the 29th of December 2023.

“I am a member and National Youth Leader of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria, and the events I am about to recount are of utmost importance for justice and the safety of individuals involved in political activities.

“On December 28, 2023, I flew into Benin City Airport around 2 p.m. as part of an official 5-member delegation authorised by the Acting National Chairman of the Labour Party, Alhaji Lamidi Basiru Apapa.

“Our mission was to organise Ward, LGA, and State Congresses in Edo State, as well as supervise the sale of nomination forms for various posts, as mandated by INEC guidelines, within the stipulated time frames.

“On arrival at the Benin Airport, I was received by one Mrs Mary Okheime Newberry, who falsely claimed to be providing transportation and accommodation on behalf of unnamed “stakeholders.”

“She proceeded to lodge us at the Smart Homes Hotel, unknown to us that she was plotting a sinister and gruesome ambush. The next morning, a man named Austin Emeka came to pick me and my colleague, Mr Patrick Anethua, up from the hotel lobby, pretending to take us to a meeting venue.

“Instead, we were violently attacked just outside the hotel gates by a waiting mob.”

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JUST IN: Tinubu appoints new leadership for NAFDAC, NCDC

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President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment and reappointment of chairpersons of boards and chief executive officers of agencies under the ministry of health and social welfare.

In a statement on Thursday by Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, Tinubu approved the appointment of Mansur Kabir as the chairman of board of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

He also reappointed Mojisola Adeyeye as the director-general (DG) of the agency and appointed Olajide Idris as the DG of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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