The Chairman, Literamed Publications Limited, Otunba Yinka Lawal-Solarin, has criticized the government for an acute shortage of locally produced textbooks especially at the tertiary and professional levels which have led to the eroding of reading culture in our country.

He asked “how can the Federal Government who came up with a projection that by the year 2000, every Nigerian should be literate, at the same never ensured the availability of books in our institutions as there is a critical shortage of textbooks and library materials at all levels of education?”

Lawal-Solarin lamented a situation in our country where one textbook is shared among five or more pupils, saying that the scenario is not suitable for learning.

“Since there can be no effective education without books to support it, here is a necessity to explore ways of solving the shortage permanently adding that a national book policy has become inevitable.

“An award winner in book publishing,Lawal-Solarin  recommended that government  takes a bold step to increase the production of textbooks to reach the target figure of five textbooks per pupil; ensure that textbooks are made from high quality materials; and motivate indigenous authors to take interest in writing textbooks which portray the Nigerian cultural milieu.”

Considering some of the benefits which the new national book policy will bring to our nation, he said, among others that it will encourage local book production and authorship; draw up a workable time frame for action and implementation and assign roles to the various tiers of government and other agencies for an improved book industry, distribution and use.

However, in recognition of its invaluable contributions to education in Africa, Literamed Publications Limited, publishers of Lantern Books have been conferred with the “Distinguished Publisher” Award for African Market (2011-2012) by the Afro-Asian Book Council.

The award, according to Lawal-Solarin, was presented at a seminar during the just concluded 20th New Delhi World Book Fair, organized by the National Book Trust, India. The award was presented by Mr Muchkund Dubey, former Foreign Secretary and Presently President Council of Social Development, India.

Accepting the Award on behalf of Lantern Books, the CEO, Otunba Lawal-Solarin restated commitment that Lantern Books would not rest on its oars, saying that he sees the award as a call to higher responsibility to further promote reading culture, not in Nigeria alone but Africa and beyond.