BY DAYO BENSON & Oamen AREGUAMEN
Amid growing concerns over declining reading culture among Nigerians, especially the youths, first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Chief Folake Solake has called on the Federal Government to match words with action in it effort to bring back the book project.

She spoke at the 10th anniversary of monthly judgment of the Supreme Court in which the Chairman of Macmillan Nigeria Publisher Ltd. Mr. Bode Emmanuel advocated upward review of Supreme Court Justice retirement age from 70.

The event which took place in Lagos was attended by retired judges and senior lawyers. Among those in attendance were former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ade Alabi, former Ogun State CJ Justice Olukayode Somolu,  Prof. Yemi Osibajo, SAN, who was guest speaker and Prof Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, editor-in- Chief of the law report

Chief Solake lamented the negative effect of computer on the reading and writing skills of the younger ones, saying computer literacy should not erode reading and writing culture, pointing out that the two should complement each other.

Speaking on retirement age of Supreme Court Justice, Mr. Emmanuel faulted 70 as their retirement age, saying that since some of the justices were still given national assignment after leaving the bench, it was better to leave them at the apex court until they were tired. He therefore called on lawyers to champion the cause.

While lamenting what she describe as declining reading and writing culture Chief  Solake said.”The introduction of computer and e-book should not relegate the real book to the back wood . The real book is one of the best companion that a person can cultivate.”

Speaking further she said “ The federal government recently lunched a “Bring the book back “ project. The initiative should be vigorousely executed through the provision of books, libraries, trained teachers and infrastructure. The project must go beyond mare words “

Speaking on her  challenges in the past ten years, publisher of the law report Mrs Aderonke Fetuga said  “Reading of books opens up world of information and possibilities.

It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds     In the best books great men talk to us, give us their most precious thoughts and pour their souls into ours. God be thanked for books.”
“There are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life of past ages” – Williams Elery Channing rightly asserts.

The Law Reports constitute the raw materials to lawyers and the more raw materials that are available to lawyers, the more will be the quality of justice which judges have to dispense. Books are to lawyers, what stethoscopes are to doctors.
Why Supreme Court Law Reports? There is no further appeal beyond this court. The Supreme Court decisions bind all other courts. You can not go outside these shores for other opinions or considerations as in the case of sick patients.”