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BBC Pidgin of Friday, 2 June 2023

    

Source: BBC

Wen dem born am, im face shock im parents wey make dem do am bad tin

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Jono Lancaster na 37 years old man from West Yorkshire for England.

Dem born am wit one condition wey science sabi as 'Treacher Collins', dat na genetic disease wey go make pesin face get abnormal shape. Dat na why im parents troway am wen dem born am.

Jono, wey tell BBC, say e bin read one tori about how im parents abandon am wen dem born am.

"I sidon and read dis notes and dem say wen my parents born me dem fear for di look on my face," Jono Lancaster tok.

Jono parents abandon am just 36 hours afta dem born am, and na one Jean take care of am wen e be just two weeks old.

Jono condition na one wia pikin wey pesin born no get two bones wey pipo sabi as codes or skulls under di eyes, wey show say e get structural effect on di pesin face.

Jean legally adopt Jono wen e be five years old.

Parent abandon Jono 36 hours afta birth

Jean nurse and adopt oda pikins wit different disease, and Jono na one of doz pikins.

Jono remember im school life say e get good memories of im high school days but "dat na me bring up dat memory to try be one part of society," e tok.

E say di older boys bin look down on am and even make bad songs about am wey really pain im heart.

Wen Jono reach adulthood, im mates get relationships and im too wan get relationship, e say dat one no dey possible sake of im face and e say "Den I begin hate my face."

And e start to remember im parents as e tok say e hate di two parents wey give birth to am.

"I wan make e hurt like how my heart dey hurt." "I dey get really angry wen I tink about my two pikins," Jono tok .

Jono parents shun am even as e don grow

Meanwhile, Jono bin wan find im parents to tell dem say e dey fine and happy.

E bin write one letter to dem, and just two weeks later e receive one letter of reply wey read: "We no want any communication. Your contact attempt go dey ignored.” Jono parents sign di letter.

"Again, to keep dis two pipo away from me, e pain me well-well," e tok.

Jono dey currently write one book wey e call 'No be all Heroes dey wear cap', wey be phrase wey dem dey use for pipo wey get great rewards or overcome difficult situations no dey dey exaggerated.

Years ago some pipo bin ask make I wan tok to school children, some of dem run come meet me and say: 'Jono, I no sabi my mama and papa, Jono I dey face discrimination dis way and dat and I decide for dia say make I do some tin about dis," Jonodey talk about wetin make am to write book.

Im book na about some of di pipo e meet for im life wey e describe as legends and how e imself become legend.

"Di truth be say, my life full of love,"Jono Lancaster tok, di pikin wey im parents hate sake of im looks but now na role model of many.

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