Meet Makurdi female runner who looks like a male

Shiminenge Agber, 28, caused a stir moment after she walked to the podium to receive her N50,000 prize for clinching the first position in the home front female category of the second edition of Tito Yoghurt Makurdi Marathon.

Tongues wagged among the spectators, who were curious about the physical looks of the athlete announced as the winner of the female category.

Most of the people protested sidelines; they talked among themselves and doubted that Agber could be passed for a female just as some of them argued that there should be a private check on her to determine her gender.

A marathon fan, Didi, said, “this one is not a female. She has no breast or any physical structure to suggest her femininity’’.

“Sure, this person that I am seeing can’t be a woman. Agreed that some women have resemblance of men but this one with beards shaved, not a sign of breast, no flexibility in her body build,  can’t certainly be regarded a female,” another lady retorted.

Gladly, as the murmuring reached its crescendo, the presenter of the award to the Agber, Head of Coaching and Training at the Benue State Sports Council, Jonathan Wombo, waded into the matter, clearing the air.

Wombo affirmed that the winning athlete is a female who he had worked with overtime, adding, “those of us in the sports council know her very well.”

Our correspondent cornered the 28-year-old for a chat during which Agber, a Sergeant with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC) in Benue State, also confirmed her femininity.

She said, “I give glory to God for looking like a man.”

Agber added that people don’t discriminate against her because of her physical looks and that she does not feel inferior or less a woman.

According to her, she discovered in her teen age that certain female features; breast and body flexibility were not developing as it ought to, despite the fact that she observes regular menstruation like other women do.

“So I sought for medical attention and I was told that I am normal,” she added.

On why she prefers to wear the male hair style rather than plait it to at least distinguish her so that people could easily identify her gender, Agber laughed heartily without answering the question.

She, however, said that marathon was not her event but track, stressing that her participation in the event was derived from the last year’s first edition of the race where she clinched the second position.

Interestingly, the runner, who had previously won 43 gold medals within and outside Nigeria as an 800/1000 tracker, said that she wouldn’t remain single forever.

“I have plans for marriage but that would be in 2027. Seven years to come when I must have resigned from track. At the moment, I have a boyfriend,” she disclosed.