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.

PROCESS OF REGISTRATION

2.1a.                After submitting the application of registration to the Director of co-operative thro the co-operative officer, the officer is expected to keep an eye on the activities of the group in the area of regularity and making sure that the vision behind the formation of the group is maintained. During this period, the members are taught the Bye-Laws. They may be shown a copy of the Bye-Law and ask to read through in order to ascertain whether they understand and is satisfied with the contents.

2.1b.                Because they are new in the co-operative business, it will be fair to show them a copy of the Bye-Laws as it will serve as a guard to them, in case they intend to correct the content of the general Bye-Law to suit their interest. Hence the suggestion in section 2.1a.

2.1c.    Some words used in the Bye-Law which might seem strange to them, are:-

i.                    “Director”

ii.                  “Regulation”

iii.                “Financial Year”

iv.                 “Laws”

v.                   “Board or Committee”

2.1d.    The words written in italics in section 2.1c above which is defined below, Needs to be thoroughly explained to the new Co-operators in order for them to be well sentient in the structure and activities of the Co-operative society.

                                i.            DIRECTOR- Means; the registrar of Co-operative societies Edo State Nigeria. If the group is doing the registration in Edo State.

                              ii.            REGULATION- means; The Bendel State Co-Operative  Societies Regulation, 1976,as amended from time to time (as applicable In Edo State) if the Co-Operative Society is to be registered in Edo State.

                            iii.           

FINANCIAL YEAR- means; the period of twelve months beginning on 1^st January and ending on the following 31^st December.

                            iv.            LAWS- means; the Co-operative Societies Law, Cap. 45 Bendel State of Nigeria Laws 1976 as amended from time to time (as applicable in Edo State) if the Co-operative Society is to be registered in Edo State.

                              v.            BOARD OR COMMITTEE- mean; the Board of Director of the Co-operative Unions/Societies, of the Local Government Union Limited.

2.1e.    After which they should be taught the actual definition of co-operative society. The definition below will help the new co-operative society member to be well acquainted with the terms and conditions of setting up a co-operative society, and running it. At this point, the new co-operators will be given the opportunity to make up their minds whether they are still willing to continue with the process of registration or to terminate it. As the Director of Co-operative will ask them what they know about the co-operative society, before registering the group.

APPLYING THE CO-OPERATIVE FORMULA

Most people have been made to coggle about and waste their precious time and effort by some wolves in sheep’s clothing, just because don’t understand the actual process of setting up a co-operative society. This is neither strange nor funny as persons from almost every aspect of life fall victim to traits like this, as an amateur. To benefit from what we are actually discussing about in this book, which is “STEPS TO SETTING UP CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES” this book will not just help those intending to set up co-operatives alone, rather, it will add to the knowledge of managing co-operative societies, which you already know.

Most of the information’s you will find here might be what you already know, but if you remind yourselves of it and act on it, you will see the true benefit you’ll obtain as a co-operator. To start up this entertaining TRIP, let’s consider the words used in the co-operative society BYE-LAWS. They are expected to guard you through this trip.

What You Must First Do, Before Your Co-operative Group Is Set Up:

1.1a.    About ten individuals who knows and trust themselves and have a common goal or pursuit are expected to come together, to discuss ways they hope to excel in their various businesses, and also what to do to help the immediate Community. After conducting with themselves and seeing the possibilities of succeeding if they work together, they are expected to make their intention known to the Co-operative officer in charge of the Area/LGA they operate from.

1.1b.    The Co-operative officer is expected to visit the group during  their meeting, to ascertain whether they have been pre-informed or not. This visit by the officer will display the authenticity of the existence of such group. In the visit, the officer is likely to educate them on the primary guidelines of setting up a co-operative society, what a co-operative society is, how a co-operative society is expected to function, its financing and the ways they generate funds.1.1c.    The requirements to meet up with before setting up a reputable co-operative society are made known to them. The reason of thrift payment by co-operators is decisively explained to them in detail. The need not to be in a hurry in running a co-operative society is brought bare before them.

1.1d.    The co-operators will then be expected to start some savings in which part of it will be used to register the co-operative after which on routinely, the officer visits them and check their various record books to make sure they are acquainted with the understanding of book keeping and how to record them.

1.1e.    During these several visit by the officer in charge, who is certain that they have gradually saved enough money to register the group and alsovery sure that after the registration that the co-operative group will still have some money left, he/she will then advice the co-operators to write an application to the Director of Co-operatives through the registrar of the co-operative societies, which he/she will attest to that he is recommending them for registration.

Some Facts about Comerade Adams Alhiu Oshimhole, Edo State Governor

Know This About Edo State Governor

When the result that brought the former governor to power was read, Comrade Governor came out roaring it was obvious to every body that he was the winner of the election. As a matter of fact it was easy for him to acclimatize to the system because majority of the people of the state were already tired of the domineering nature of the previous leaders of the state particularly when it was clear that these leaders don’t have good vision for the people of the state.

During his electionary campaign, Comrade Oshiomhole promised a lot to the people of the state and in particular, he vowed to end the politics of godfatherism rampant in the state. Because there was nothing on ground in the first six months of his administration apart from the stoppage of illegal levies in the markets, people were apprehensive. His opponents in the state were quick to describe him as a failure and said that his attitude at that time meant that he was never prepared to actualize his promises for the people. Some, among his opponents in a rally, said the Governor had achieved nothing in his first year in office instead embarked on the planting of flowers at Ring Road

However, the Governor came to defend his action, explaining that the problems of the state particularly in the areas of flood and erosion required proper planning and that it would be suicidal to commence work on them without tackling the problems holistically. He said he would not be rushed into taking decisions that would lead him into doing a bad job. He insisted to be given enough time to plan before rolling out bulldozers in the streets. Besides, he said that if his challengers had planted flowers during their time as leaders in the state, he would have used the funds for something else. Governor Adams Oshiomhole lamented that the successive governments has ruined the state in the past ten years they were in power.

However, there is no doubt that as the Oshiomhole’s administration clocks about three years now, Benin City that was once famed as an ancient city, has been modernized. True to his words,

Governor commenced dualization and construction of roads in all three senatorial districts of the state shortly after the design for the new city was released. The roads in the cities were equipped with street lights, walkways and waste disposal centers. He also commenced the electrification projects in communities that did not have electricity in the three senatorial districts. And recently, he imported city buses popularly known as Comrade City Bus. The truth of the matter is that the State has not seen such a transformation since the second republic when Prof. Ambrose Alli was governor.

Apart from the road projects he embarked upon in the three senatorial district, he also commenced water projects in Edo Central. The problem of water in the area had been an age long thing and the Governor had to import water drilling machines and specifically declared that they will commence in Uromi, home town of Chief Tony Anenih. Oshiomhole has also exhibited so much passion and zeal in his efforts. Indeed, there have been occasions when the Governor’s security operatives went in search of the Governor. On those occasions, he drove himself out of Government House to inspect projects to the chagrin of the security operatives. On those occasions he would he would also use the opportunity to feel the pulse of the people on different issues in markets and bars.

Recently, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has declared that agriculture is a credible factor that can be used to address unemployment and to transform the state. In his speech, the governor said what has been causing delay in identifying this sector, was the rot in civil service especially in the agricultural sector. But now he (The Governor) is willing to address the inhumanity faced in that sector. This assurance was given in the retreat which has as its theme “Sustaining reforms, Expletive from a Development Partner” held in AGANE-BODE.

To benefit from this book, please read with concentration.

Thanks,

The writer.

Preface to Understanding Co-operative Society

Preface

The purpose of writing this book is as good as your guess. To create an opportunity where those in the grass root will be heard, noticed and assisted. This book is designed as a document which is aimed towards informing, educating, comforting, and enlightening the general public of what co-operative society is all about.

 in our bid to make co-operative society what it should really be, we have tirelessly work all through the time to find ways to make the setting up process real and valuable.

We are very sure that this book, UNDERSTANDING CO-OPERATIVE will help the reader learn and understands the Standard Process of Setting up a Co-Operative Society. This book will also go a long way to making the intending co-operators understand the business they are going into, what is required of them as members of the group, and the benefit they will derive if they participate fully in the process.

We will like also to use this opportunity to thank S. Owojuyigbe for his book "Co-operative Administration in Nigeria" as the book was very useful to us during our research. Parts of the quotations used are from the aforementioned titled book by S. A Owojuyigbe.

We thank you all so much for having interest in this book. We are sure you will really benefit from it. Mostly the Farmers, small scale traders, professionals in their various line of businesses, the elderly and children. But we respect the farmers so much because they are the food producers who toil day and night to make sure there is quality food for us to eat.

The information acquired from this book, is expected to serve as strength for you, to enable you know the actual Basics of the co-operative movement. Goftagroup is the human eucalyptus the organization behind the name.

“the strong rock that makes the writing of this book possible” By willingly volunteering their      printing machineries including their staffs for use in order to facilitate quick release of this book.

For more information about Goftagroup, consult the book ”Goftagroup and you” or visit www.goftagroup.info.ms the guidebook that give detailed information about Gofta limited will also be useful to people who would like to know something about people in the grass root. i.e Farmers, ()production and processing of cassava products, other matters relating to child abuse, and how useful thrift and loan operations will be for every co-operatives. If you also want to learn new skills or develop your farming skills you will also see a need to have a copy of the Gofta guidebook. for questions and support, email us on goftagroup@yahoo.com  

We encourage Organic farming!

Once again, we thank you.