Finding my voice: Florence Ọlájídé on resilience, identity, and belonging

Today we’re joined by the wonderful Florence Ọlájídé, a woman whose story will stay with you long after you hear it.

Born in Britain to Nigerian parents, Florence was privately fostered by a white family before being taken to Nigeria by her birth parents.

Her journey is one of incredible strength - overcoming loss, loneliness, poverty, and maltreatment, while fighting fiercely for her education and identity. It’s a moving and deeply inspiring story about resilience, courage, and finding your true voice through hardship.

Florence’s memoir, Coconut, has received glowing reviews and was featured on the Graham Norton Book Club. Her second book, The Stolen Daughter, is a powerful historical novel inspired by a family secret - the story of one of her ancestors forced into slavery.

Florence was also shortlisted for Penguin Random House’s WriteNow London workshop in 2018.

This conversation will remind you that no matter where you come from or what you’ve faced, your story matters - and it’s never too late to rewrite it with courage and heart.

With love, Ivana & Yaw xx

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The stolen daughter: https://bit.ly/3LlYeWU

Coconut: https://bit.ly/3Wcu3I2

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