My father rejected me on the day I was born - Byno Ayoni tells his story

Ghanaian musician Byno Ayoni, winner of the 2023 TV3 Mentor, has shared some of the sad experiences he had growing up.

During his appearance on the Daybreak Hitz show on May 8, 2024, he recounted the emotional journey of being abandoned by his father at birth due to his albinism and losing his mother three months later.

"I didn't know my father growing up. According to what my grandmom told me, when I was born, the man came to the hospital, saw me, and said, 'We don't have this thing in my family.' So he ran away. My mom, out of pain and disappointment, died when I was just three months old," he said.

Growing up under his grandmother's care, he faced serious health issues and societal discrimination.

"So my grandmom took responsibility. At the time, I was a sickly child. I got so sick, according to my grandmom and the people who saw me grow up, that you could see the food travelling down my stomach when I was eating. That's how sick I was," he added.

Byno also mentioned that, despite his hardships, his headmaster introduced him to the brass band at the age of five, sparking a lifelong love for music.

"I attended Holy Star Academy in Aflao. That's my primary basic school in Aflao. I didn't struggle much with acceptance there because I was shielded by the headmaster, and anyone who did something wrong to me would be punished severely.

"It was because of him that I fell in love with music very early. He made me join the band, the brass band. I was five years old at the time. And then music started from there," he said.

As he grew, Byno realized that his uniqueness was not a curse but a gift that set him apart.

"With time, I understood that it just has to do with being in a society where you are the outstanding person, looking different from everyone else," he said.

His musical talent shone through, leading him to victory on TV3's Mentor and capturing the hearts of fans across Ghana.