By Afolasade Owotutu, Abeokuta
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has challenged the Cooperatives operators in the country to show new spirit and activism in Nigeria in order to bring themselves to the next level of global practices.
Obasanjo gave the charge when the leadership of the cooperatives society in Nigeria, led by the President, Cooperatives Federation of Nigeria (CFN), Chief Oriyomi Ayeola paid him a courtesy visit at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Penthouse residence in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, the 12-member team was led by the former National President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Iyalode Alaba Lawson on the occasion.
Speaking, the former President lamented that the story of the Cooperatives in Nigeria in recent past has been that of a baby in the intensive care unit, "it was unlike in the past when it was very lively."
Obasanjo said the situation was further compounded by the instability in goverment policies, stressing, "we have a lot to be done and recreate the Cooperatives system in Nigeria.
"I will support to lift Cooperatives to where it suppose to be in Nigeria. There is need to uplift the Cooperatives spirit and Cooperatives activism. And we have to start from ourselves. We must start to give our all into it with commitment."
The former President pointed out the need to have the taking of the Cooperatives back from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, "and when that is done, we can create the Cooperatives Bank for loans at a single-unit interest rate at the micro finance level for the rural members."
He also promised to facilitate the Federation with the African Development Bank (ADB), a request, which was part of those tabled to the former President, by the National President.
Speaking earlier, Ayeola said the Federation decided to visit Obasanjo in order to tap from his wisdom and intimate him on his recent elevation as the African President of the Cooperatives Federation.
He said that the Nigerian counterparts realized that the country was still far from other countries in the continent, "in terms of stability and sustainability," lamenting that activities were not even recorded in the Federal Office of Statistics.
"As such, as part of the new vision, we want to start from Ogun State Southwest, to embark on enumeration of members. And to visit you to get the needed support and experience," the CFN disclosed.
The team included the Chief Felix B. Ajiboye, Alh. Wasiu Olaleye, Mrs Adenike Ajayi, Shobule Oladipo, Etti-O-Diamond R.K, and David Nnabude.
Others were Ebun Akin-Falaiye, Oluwole Ogunlolu, Elder Uzoka Hypolite C., Labaran Garba and Ayelabowo David Igbekele.
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