CO-OPERATIVE ! AN INSTRUMENT FOR EMPLOYMENT

As a review to the event that led to the formation of the co-operative movement by the artisans in the Rochdale equitable pioneers, we came to understand that it was in 1844 when about 10 of the staffs from the weaver shop and about 18 other artisans from the cotton mill all in the town of Rochdale decided to come together to see how they can add value to their lifestyles as they were presently neglected by the government of the day, thereby facing critical economic and financial stress.

           

They, (the 28 persons) came together to set-up the first ever known co-operative society shop. Before this program was exhibited, you can compare it to a situation similar to a script which is made real by some actors through acting. Most time people with little means are looked down upon. They are always regarded as unreasonable. But the record about the 28 weaver tells us that although they manage to bring together one pound each within some months of starving themselves and putting their targeted success in view, their targeted vision was success for all as a collective group, which they eventually achieved.

           

How can we define the kind of critical economic stress these artisans faced, that eventually led to the setting up of this movement, we are talking about here? We have been made to understand that before deciding to bring themselves together as a co-operative group, the weavers faced miserable working conditions and low wages; hence they could not afford the high prices of food and household goods in their time. They were also not recognized nor assisted by the stronghold of their society. They were marginalized because they belong to the grass-root. To exonerate themselves from this pang of pains they are subjected to, they decided that by pooling their scarce resources and working experiences together, they may be able to help themselves to access some basic necessity they could never have acquired as individual.

In the beginning of their business venture, they were having only four items for sale. Which are Flour, Oatmeal, Sugar, and Butter. On December 21, 1844, they opened their store with a very meager selection of the aforementioned goods including a few candles. Within three months, they expanded their selection to include tea and tobacco, and they were soon known for providing high quality, unadulterated goods.

Seeing their progress within short time of operating the shop, the Pioneers decided to add value to their products in a systematic way. By treating shoppers with honesty, openness and respect, as they believed that this will enable these customers to partner with them, because they were having only meager fund to administer to their investment. Hence they needs affiliate partners. Their openness and transparency encourage the partners to feel free partnering with them. As they were very sure that they will be apportioned their normal share in the profits made from the investment, and that they will also have a democratic right to have a say in the business.

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Co-operative Society as a Family:-

When we say co-operative society, we mean “joining together” co-operation mean, “working together”  why co-operators mean people that has agreed to join together in order to work together, for the common good of all its members.

            Unfortunately, most people set up co-operative society today without first knowing what co-operative actually mean. But a critical look at the settings of the co-operative movement shows that the co-operators has not come to know, nor has he been able to display the spirit of unity which is suppose to be the visible mark of true co-operatives. This should have been the unity of purpose designed to protect all member of the movement.

Most time when discussing about the history of co-operative, the Rochdale Equitable Pioneer easily come to mind as the first organized co-operative movement ever operated. But in Nigeria, it is on record that the first co-operative is the Agege Planters Union. The fact that this Agege Planters Union is regarded as the first co-operative in Nigeria does not really make it the first co-operative as it was not really operating under the principles and structures as that of the Rochdale.

Although, this Agege Planters Union was formed on the basis that it will help to curb the excess of European Merchant that has flock the Nigerian market, operating without regulations or control. And also, to serve as a means of furthering political agitation …. On the agricultural cum economic font

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Good Co-Operative Spirit Displayed By The Rochdale Equitable Pioneer

1.      A focused co-operator must be organized.

2.      He must be long suffering.

3.      He must learn to make communication as regular and fluent within them selves.

4.      He must be thankful and appreciative.

5.      He must realize that envy must be eliminated from among its members

   What Co-Operative Is Formed For:

1.      Co-operative societies are form as a body to bring people of the same idea and vision together, in other to attain its goals easily.

2.       Co-operative is a name, a defense, an Identity design to serve as a head way to her member.

What makes a family succeful?

If a family really wants to succeed as one united body, they must learn the following

1.      Be truthful

2.      Be peaceful

3.      Be satisfied with what you can afford.

4.      Must learn to understand the feeling of others.

5.      Every member of the family must meet up with their responsibility. Not relaxing their assignment for growth on others who are also finding ways to meet up with their responsibilities

6.      Every family member must learn to always be on the alert

7.      A good family member, always do well to aid the effort of others in the family, instead of mocking the failure of a family member.

8.      A good family member aid the effort of others in the family, even if he is not sure to benefit from it

9.      A good family member appreciates the effort of others by encouraging them and displaying his/her appreciation even in public. Do you appreciate the effort of others by not being jealous of what they know more than you? If yes, you are a good family member.

10.  A good family member always does well to develop a living conscience towards all at all times. 

11.  A good family member does not easily give up. No matter the discouragement he receives from intruders, they have been taught to press ahead without grudges.

Co-operative Society as a Family:-

When we say co-operative society, we mean “joining together” co-operation mean, “working together”  why co-operators mean people that has agreed to join together in order to work together, for the common good of all its members.

            Unfortunately, most people set up co-operative society today without first knowing what co-operative actually mean. But a critical look at the settings of the co-operative movement shows that the co-operators has not come to know, nor has he been able to display the spirit of unity which is suppose to be the visible mark of true co-operatives. This should have been the unity of purpose designed to protect all member of the movement.

Most time when discussing about the history of co-operative, the Rochdale Equitable Pioneer easily come to mind as the first organized co-operative movement ever operated. But in Nigeria, it is on record that the first co-operative is the Agege Planters Union. The fact that this Agege Planters Union is regarded as the first co-operative in Nigeria does not really make it the first co-operative

Watch video clip explaining Fadama III

Bible's Viewpoint

What Is the Bible’s View of Divorce and Remarriage

Let it be well acknowledged that the Bible does not advocate divorce on just any ground, as marriage union was expected to be permanent. God made man and woman to enjoy each other’s company indefinitely, without any provision for divorce. As we can see in the account of Genesis 2:24 which states:”That is why a man will leave his father and his mother and he must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh.”

The marital arrangement was to bring together man and woman in an unbreakable union, this was instituted to enhance blessing, happiness and for the bearing of righteous offspring, all to the glory of God.

However, that perfect arrangement in the original paradise was disrupted. Because, rebellion entered the hearts of the first pair and they were cast out from paradise. With this development, there is no guarantee that they would they maintain their perfection state anymore. Degeneration of mind and body set in, this imperfection or sin becomes the only inheritance they would pass on to all their offspring.

With man and woman no longer walking in God’s ways, they lost their position as God’s son and were put outside the Garden of Eden Where they began to introduce their own regulations and traditions. It was not long before marriage bonds began to break. How true this has been down through the centuries, and especially so in our times! Divorces and separations have become commonplace and the reasons for such have been many. But, according to the laws of the Universal Sovereign, Jehovah, who makes allowances for human imperfection, there are no well established reasons for breaking the marriage tie. The prophet Malachi presented this as God’s viewpoint: “He has hated a divorcing.” (Mal. 2:16) Then Jesus Christ reemphasized the validity of the original marriage arrangement, as recorded by historian Matthew in the book mentioned by his name, Matthew 19:3-9.His Son Jesus said: “I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, and marries commits adultery.” this shows that Scriptural divorce was limited.

According to The New American Bible (in a rendering similar to that of other Catholic versions), Matthew 19:9 reads: “I now say to you, whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

A footnote explains the words in parentheses, stating: “Literally ‘except for porneia,’ i.e., immorality, fornication, even incest.” But theologian-priest Alcides Pinto da Silva reiterated the common Roman Catholic interpretation, saying: “If after the contract, but before living together with her husband, a girl has illicit relations with someone, then she can be sent away without there being adultery.”

Of course, Jesus did not say that this was the only situation meant; nor does the context contain implication to this effect. This view was to support  the Jews for permitting non-Biblical base divorce, “the sending away of a marriage mate on any grounds”. However, Jesus stated that ‘only on the ground of por·nei′a’ could this be done acceptably before God, who instituted marriage. So, what does por·nei′a mean? It designates all forms of immoral sexual relations, perversions and lewd practices. The verb por·neu′o means “to give one’s self to unlawful sexual intercourse.”

Jesus was against adultery and any other form of illicit relations. (Matt. 5:27-32; 15:19, 20) But if one marriage mate committed a gross sexual sin against the other, the marriage bond could be broken because of the adulterating of the union of ‘one flesh.’ Therefore, marital unfaithfulness could result in dissolving the marriage vows, union and contract. For this reason, the innocent and wronged mate would be free to get a divorce and marry again. Of course, he or she might want to forgive the erring mate and maintain the marriage bond. That would be his or her privilege.

CO-OPERATIVE CORE VALUE

3.1.                  The core value of a cooperative enterprise system is called, “coordinated cooperation," which enables human with equal rights and mutual respect for each other work together, for the welfare of the group. This differs from "subordinated cooperation," where people work individually or collectively but are under other people's supervision. Subordinated cooperation occurred in state socialist communities that were formed through forced collectivization. True coordinated cooperation does not exist as a prevailing value in any present economic system.

The cooperative system cannot function effectively in an environment of exploitation, corruption, and materialism, nor where they are forced to compete with themselves or with large corporations for marketing and supplies. For cooperatives to succeed, they must have morality among the working-members, strong management of the enterprise, and community support for the cooperative system. Furthermore, cooperatives need ready access to suppliers and markets for their goods and services. And the members of a cooperative must be able to work in a collective spirit and must share similar material aspirations.

For a cooperative Society to function properly, it requires decent people with cooperative values, people with similar material/economic needs. Most importantly, people with mutual respect for each other.  Having the sense of appropriate organizational and management structures; to function conveniently in this politically dominated society. Demonstrating neutrality can help to create an environment where the government and other interest groups will come in to support small and medium scale cooperative industry for the development of a local economy.

 In attempting to establish a viable cooperative economy, it must be considered whether cooperatives can develop in the absence of a sufficient moral base. In other words, strong moral values must first be prevalent among members, for the cooperatives to flourish, or rather; it will become the responsibility of the co-operative managers to create strong moral values in their members in order for the group to make progress.

This book therefore is designed to offers practical viewpoint for developing cooperatives. It will help to examine the co-operative principles, advantages, internal organizational structures, supportive infrastructure, and wider environmental factors necessary for their development. Finally It will address difficult questions of strategic priorities.