Governor Adeleke Set a New Pace for Cooperative Development in Nigeria
Naija CooperativeNews…Creates Full-fledged Ministry of Cooperatives
…To Empower Osun People using the Sustainable Cooperative Model
It has been established that Osun State is the Only State in Nigeria currently with a Full-fledged Ministry of Cooperatives and Empowerment that is newly created with a mandate to empower all Osun people in respective of their party affiliations using the instrumentality of the sustainable Cooperative Model.
In a recent courtesy/familiarization visit made by the Management team of the Cooperative Rating & Award Society of Nigeria (CRASoN) to the newly created Osun State Ministry of Cooperatives and Empowerment Honorable Commissioner, Prince Bayo Ogungbangbe (Fcssm), with a view to advocating, and seeking collaborative support for CRASoN projects, programmes and activities especially the upcoming 5th Nigerian National Cooperative Awards, Symposium and Exhibitions 2023 to be held in Lagos State.
Hon. Ogungbangbe has promised to deliver the message of CRASoN to the Governor and gave us his word, that his entire Ministry would attend the National Cooperative Award in Lagos by God’s grace.
During the meeting held at the office of the Commissioner, the first to address the sitting was the Osun State Director of Cooperatives, Mr. Ogunjide Babatunde who introduced the CRASoN Management Team to the Honorable Commissioner and briefed him further on the reason they were at the Ministry.
Speaking next, was the CRASoN President/CEO and leader of the team, Mr. Victor Oyegoke who appreciates and commended the Honorable Commissioner for operating an open-door policy, He said that within the shortest notice of their intention to pay a courtesy visit to the Ministry, they were granted an appointment to meet with the Commissioner, this is what we call a leader with a listening ear and a sign of good leadership and inclusive governance par excellence.
Mr. Oyegoke further briefed the Hon. Commissioner on issues germane to the promotion, development, and ensuring sustainability of the Cooperative Sector in Nigeria and Osun State in particular. He narrated how he set up 2010, a Cooperative Consulting Organization – Cooperative Support Services (CoopSupport) after a survey that revealed the information gap and lack of capacity within the industry that now birthed CRASoN and recently the Naija Cooperative News, all for the sake of Cooperative development, growth, and Information. He Shared how the Maiden edition of the annual Nigerian National Cooperative Awards organized by CRASoN in collaboration with the Federal Department of Cooperatives under the aegis of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security debuted in 2018 at Lagos, followed by the Second edition that was held in 2019 at Abuja and how COVID-19 didn’t allow them to host the event in 2020 and resumed back in the year 2021 at Lagos doing the Third edition. The Fourth Edition was held last year at Abuja, while the 5th Edition which is the main purpose of their visit will be held in Lagos State come November 17th to 19th 2023.
The CRASoN CEO revealed that the 2023 Panel of Jury of the organization has unanimously agreed to recognize the Governor of Osun State, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke as the Most Outstanding Governor of the Year for his love and belief for cooperatives as a veritable vehicle to alleviate poverty at the grassroots is seen by the strategic moves in setting up a full fledge ministry for Cooperatives and Empowerment, which to us is a great feat as no Governor in Nigeria of today did such, hence the need for the national recognition and to be celebrated as a worthy cause for the emancipation of the cooperative movement as this would aid the development and growth of cooperatives in the state and by extension the nation at large, in several ways by improving on the economic and social life of cooperators.
In response, The Honorable Commissioner, Prince ‘Bayo Ognugbangbe commended the selfless efforts of Mr. Victor Oyegoke and his team for their input to the cooperative sector and stated that His Excellency understands Cooperatives and believed in the sustainable model as a veritable tool to impact the grassroots lifting majority out of poverty and hunger.
He appreciated the organization for recognizing the strategic decision of creating a new Ministry of Cooperatives and Empowerment by His Excellency, Senator Ademola N.J. Adeleke, which happens to be the only State with such a feat and promised to deliver the message to His Excellency personally about the National Honor and Award as the Most Outstanding Governor of the Year and a Patron of the Organization as he is expected to grace the occasion as Distinguished Guest of Honor.
