Title: Tearless with Ayo Deforge

Episode Number: #23

Guest: Ayo Deforge⁠⁠⁠

Release Date: 3rd October 2025.

Description:

This week on the show, we are graced by the iconic French-fluent Nigerian storyteller and author, Ayo Deforge. She opens up (4:04) with her inspiration for writing and how the grief of losing her mother influenced her writing style. Ayo left Nigeria for France (9:05) in 2012, and talks to us about the culture shock she faced on moving to the South of France, particularly with the country's obsession with immigration and racism. She gets candid with us about combining motherhood (17:10) with being an author, especially with today's demands of women in society. She also talks about her inspirations (21:08) as a writer, notably Chimamanda Adichie, and then gets deep with us (26:12) about being a Nigerian writer in diaspora. Ayo talks about her new poetry collection and novel coming soon! These and more on this episode! Enjoy the show!

Key Takeaways:

1. As a writer, you have a different perspective on writing about loss when you've experienced the loss of a loved one.

2. You don't think about the colour of your skin until you are in an environment where that is how you are identified.

3. Discipline is built over time with consistency, and you will certainly get better at any craft.

Listen Now On:

Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Pocket Cast, Goodpod, Google Podcasts, Afripod, Jamit, and all DSPs

Connect with Us:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NkemCreatives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nkemcreatives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nkem Creatives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nkemcreatives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Resources & Mentions:

Order the Author's Book on Amazon: Tearless

Order Her Poetry Collection: The Mind is not an Ally

Pre-order Her New Book: Under The Rain

Guest’s Social Media (Instagram): @ayodeforge

Episode Credits:

Episode Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Anita Chinwendu Opara⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audio Producer & Writer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel Odia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Manager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel Odia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Show Owner: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nkem Creatives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Nkem Creatives brings you insightful conversations that celebrate African storytelling and literature. Join us on this journey as we amplify the voices shaping the narrative.