Farafina's Woman Issue

The current edition of Farafina Magazine (vol. 9) is the ‘Woman’ Issue, and marks a refreshing departure from recent outings, design wise. The cover is simply stunning.

Edited by Toni Kan, Farafina 9 boasts an army of women contributors including poet Nike Adesuyi (making a welcome Farafina debut); the late Lynn Chukura; Kaine Agary - author of ‘Yellow-Yellow’ (who co-wrote an interesting piece with Kan on the Ogogoro Women of Lagos’ 3rd Mainland Bridge. Kan’s review of Agary's book is also in this issue); talk show host Funmi Iyanda; and Chika Unigwe (now a regular contributor, her story Sugar in my Bowl is part of the short-fiction content); and there’s an excerpt from Marie Fatayi-Williams' book, For The Love of Anthony.

Conmpleting the trio of males who get a look-in in this 'Woman' issue, are writer/artist Victor Ehikhamenor who contributes a humorous photo-essay on a dancing female, Ariya Unlimited; and Tolu Ogunlesi, whose well appointed short story, Husbands Abroad Anonymous, completes the fiction.

But with other pieces including one on breaking the ‘glass ceiling’, etiquette (presumably for women) and a whole 5 pages devoted to light-and-frothy pictures of Nollywood starlet Dakore Egbuson - Farafina no. 9 strays dangerously into the realm of ‘lifestyle/pep-talk fare' beloved of women’s mags like Genevieve. What with Farafina being a 'Culture' journal and not Marie-Claire. But because it’s the ‘Woman’ issue, Farafina no.9 pulls it off. But only just.

Farafina’s Website is currently being redesigned, but it should up and running, soon.