A Cooperative Publication Committee led by Alhaji S. I. Adeniji visited Ogun State Cooperative Federation Limited (OGSCOFED) to produce a book on the Historical Development of Cooperatives in South West Zone, Nigeria, to mark the Conglomerate 70th Foundation Anniversary early next year, 2022 was inaugurated on the 24th June, 2021 by the Board of Odua Cooperative Conglomerate Limited (OCC).
In order to realize its objectives, the Committee visited Ogun State Cooperative Federation Limited (OGSCOFED) on Thursday, 12th day of August, 2021 at early hour of the day to obtain relevant information and materials related to the history of Cooperative emergent in Ogun State.
At H. O. Kudoro Board Room, ‘Tayo Sobanjo Building, Cooperative House, Asero, Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Vice President of OGSCOFED Limited, Mr. M. T. Idowu on behalf of the Federation President, Alhaji (Dr). A. Ola Balogun welcomed the Cooperative Publication Committee to Ogun State and the 5th Executive Secretary of OGSCOFED Limited, Mr. David I. Ayelabola shared the necessary information with them. The Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji S. I. Adeniji thanked the Vice President of OGSCOFED Limited and the entire staff of OGSCOFED Limited for accepting them into Ogun State and for the job well done. He said the information received is well said, cleared and detailed, which they have never received in any State before coming down to Ogun State.
The Committee for Cooperative Publication together with Vice President of OGSCOFED Limited, Mr. M. T. Idowu, the Executive Secretary of OGSCOFED Limited, Mr. David I. Ayelabola and other Management Staff of OGSCOFED Limited went to the office of Director of Cooperative Services in Ogun State, for more information about the Ogun State Cooperative Movement. Mr. Samuel O. Mustapha, the Director of Cooperative Services in Ogun State presented a statistical data of Cooperative Movement in Ogun State, details about Ogun State Cooperative College, Ijeja, Abeokuta, names of Former Director of Cooperative Services from inception till date and highlighted the activities and development in Ogun State Cooperative Movement. The Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji S. I. Adeniji appreciated the Director of Cooperative Services in Ogun State for the job well done and promised that Ogun State would be well represented in the report.
The team now moved to Sagamu Local Government of Ogun State, where they visited Owolowo Makun (Sagamu) CMU Limited (a Union registered on 27th November, 1981) where Mr. Oluyiga Gbodi briefed the Committee about the history of the Cooperative Union and her heros. The Chairman, Alhaji Adeniji thanked the Administrative Manager for Owolowo Makun (Sagamu) CMU Limited, for the information provided and that would be used judiciously.
At Sagamu Local Government also, the team visited Oluwakemi Offin (Sagamu) CTCU Limited where the Branch President of Remo branch I of OGSCOFED Limited and the Union President of Oluwakemi Offin (Sagamu) CTCU Limited, Prof. Alhaji Yissau Titilola welcomed and appreciated the team for coming. He spoke about the Cooperative Movement in Remo, Sagamu and mentioned the Branch past heros. He commended OCC Limited on the just concluded Stakeholders Leadership Workshop held at Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State and South West, asked that more should be organized in the future. He said the major challenge facing Cooperative Movement in Remo land is Overdue Loan Defaulters, he appealed to the OGSCOFED Limited, Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives, Cooperative Department and Odua Cooperative Conglomerate Limited (OCC) to be proactive on this issue. The Remo Branch I President, Prof. Y. O. Titilola advised Cooperative Leaders to have an income yielding vocation for members and not relying on Cooperative, however, the Administrative Manager of the Union, Olori Oluwayemisi Oyediran presented the Cooperative Union Statistical data and other information to the team. The Chairman, Alhaji S. I. Adeniji appreciated the Remo Branch I President for his attention and apologies for their impromptu visit. He advised Cooperative Society to employ competent workers/staff for the Cooperative Society and training of incompetent one. Also, in giving out loans to members, serious measures must be put in place as he prayed for more Cooperative Development in Remo Land, Ogun State, South West and Nigeria.
The team further went to Ijebu Ode Local Government of Ogun State where they visited Irepodun Ijebu Ode CMU Limited. The Committee met High Chief Ayodele Badejo an octogenarian, former President Irepodun Ijebu Ode CMU Limited and former Vice President Cooperative Investment and Trust Society Limited (CITS) in Ibadan alongside with the newly elected President of Irepodun Ijebu Ode CMU Limited, Alhaji Tunde Agbomabiwon and the Ijebu Central Branch President, Pastor Femi Oluronbi who welcomed the team to Ijebu Ode and Ogun State. High Chief Ayodele Badejo spoke on the history of Cooperative in the South West Zone, the CFN and Cooperative Movement in Ogun State. He then implored all Cooperators to allow the youths to partake in all Cooperative activities, more especially at trustees level. The Ijebu Central Branch President of OGSCOFED Limited, Pastor Femi Oluronbi appreciated the team for the job well done.
On Friday, 13th day of August, 2021, the team led by Alhaji S. I. Adeniji went round the Cooperative Unions in Abeokuta met Abeokuta Cooperative Leaders Chairman, Elder (Dr). Ebenezer Taiwo in his office at Isale-Igbehin, Abeokuta, who briefed on how he joined Cooperative 46years ago and how he established his primary society and his Union Owolowo Ijemo (Abeokuta) CMU Limited as the first Union President.
The team also visited Ife Oluwa (Abeokuta) CMU Limited, Idi Aba, Abeokuta, where they met with the erstwhile Union President, Evangelist Philips Abiodun Babatunde. He appreciated the Committee and gave them detailed information about him. The Committee however visited the Union Water Factory also in the Union premises.
To cap it all for the day, the Committee visited another Octogenarian and former Director of Cooperative Services, Evang. Mojibade Sunday Olurin who loaded the Committee with how Cooperative Society started in Ogun State from the Western State. Baba Olurin gave them detailed information on how Cooperative Society transformed from Farmers Cooperative to Thrift and Credit and then to Cooperative Multipurpose Society. He mentioned that NUT Cooperatives started in Ogun State which are now being enjoyed by the Ministry Agencies and other parastatals.
It was the turn of Yewa (Egbado) on the third day, when the Committee visited Yewas, because of expanse of Yewa territory, the Committee with the assistance of Elder Felix Babatunde Ajibode met with some of the Yewa Cooperative Leaders and Union Presidents. Some of those in attendance were the former Director of Cooperative Services, Pa. Solomon A. Adeniji, another Octogenarian, Baale T. A. Salaudeen former Board of Directors of OGSCOFED Limited and Yewa South Branch President and first Pioneer President of Anu Oluwapo Yewa CTCU Limited, Mr. Paul Sitonji, the current and incumbent President was also in attendance. Prophet Taiwo, the current President of Ifedayo Owode Yewa CMU Limited and his team were also present, the Union that produced Chief D. A. Alalade former President of our defunct Cooperative Press Limited and former Treasurer of OGSCOFED Limited, Overseer J. A. Ayeni. The first Cooperative Thrift and Credit Union in Yewa Land, Egbado Ilaro CTCU Limited, that produced Pa. M. O. Akiode, the first Union President, second President of OGSCOFED Limited and notable Cocoa Farmer and first President of Yewa CPMU Limited was represented by the erstwhile Union President, Elder F. B. Ajibode and President OCCL and the incumbent Union President, Elder Taiwo Mick Olatunji and current OGSCOFED Limited Treasurer on Cooperative thrives in Yewa Land.
The team comprises of: Alhaji S. I. Adeniji (OCC Ltd) – Chairman; Mr. Lazun Azeez rtd (OCC Limited) – Member; Dr. Oluwasanya O. P (OCC Ltd) – Secretary; with the assistance from Mr. M. T. Idowu (Vice President, OGSCOFED Ltd); Mr. David I. Ayelabola (Executive Secretary, OGSCOFED Ltd); Mrs. F. O. Haruna (Ag. HOD Planning and Statistics, OGSCOFED Ltd); Mrs. D. F. Adekale (Ag. HOD Extension Services, OGSCOFED Ltd); Mr. Badejo Adeyemi E. (ICT Director, OGSCOFED Ltd) and Mr. Adio Yusuf (Chief Driver, OGSCOFED Ltd).
Source: OGSCOFED LTD FB page
