Booksellers Association mourns Literamed Publications Chair, Lawal-Solarin.

OBINNA EZUGWU

Booksellers Association of Nigeria (BAN) has expressed sadness over the passing of one of the pillars of book trade in Nigeria and Chairman of Literamed Publications, Otunba Olayinka Lawal-Solarin.

BAN in a statement by its president, Michael ‘Dare Oluwatuyi described the late Lawal-Solarin who passed away on Wednesday, November 4 as a resolute and dogged promoter of the Nigerian book.

The Association which sent heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s wife and children, said it will continue to cherish his many years of counsel and friendship

“The Booksellers Association of Nigeria, BAN, has received with sadness, news of the passage of one of the grand pillars of the book trade in Nigeria and Chairman of Literamed Publications, Otunba Olayinka Lawal-Solarin,” the statement read.

“From 1969 when he set up Literamed Publications until his transition on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, Otunba Lawal-Solarin was indeed a quite resolute and dogged promoter of the Nigerian book, champion of cordial booksellers-publishers relations and a very generous defender of the rights of the bookseller in Nigeria and Africa.

“The Executive Committee and members of the Booksellers Association of Nigeria, BAN, will continue to cherish his many years of counsel and friendship to our sub-sector; his landmark role in the founding and running of our umbrella Nigerian Book Fair Trust, NBFT and express our heartfelt condolences to his wife, children and indeed the entire Lawal-Solarin clan, on the passage of such an illustrious personality.

“By his passage, Nigeria and Africa have indeed lost one of our most eminent advocates for the primacy of the book in our national and continental cultural life; and a sturdy bulwark for our best interests all through the many years of our association with him. He was so kind and generous; he was so forthright and enigmatic; and this loss is without any sentiment, a most irreparable one for us and all that he has left behind. We will definitely miss our own dearly beloved Otunba.”