1.1 Introduction
1.2 Background of the Study
In recent time numerous attempts have been made by various organization and individuals bodies on what cooperative is all about.
Cooperative was derived from the word cooperative is essentially an economics system with a social out look, its operation are based on self help multued help, solidarity and democracy. It attempts to in still and propagates ideas of self reliance and social responsibility.
Cooperative belongs to the private sector, they are for the common people, a mechanism for differs, battlement and emancipation to combat the harsh conditions brought about by the mechanized economy. We can go on and on with those definitions without repeating our selves and without exhausting the meaning of cooperative.
In bringing a modest cooperative society into existence, there have been and there will be a number of problem to meet. The most important of those problem are not the opposition of those for whom the cooperative society is likely to represent competition it is not the poverty of those it is intended to benefit. It is not even their lack of business, experience and above all, importance of the principle methods and aims of cooperation among members.
In order to rule out the caps the need for cooperative education has been recognized ever since the inception of cooperative institutions. The acquisition of know edge is one of the principles of the Lawndale equitable pioneers.
Education help to equip members with the skill, knowledge and confidence to enable them use participates and control the cooperative more effective and generally to become both better cooperators ad Citizens.
Through there is obviously a need for knowledge among who wish to make success of their cooperative endeavor.
Cooperative education is membership enlightenment exercise, which helps in no small measure to eliminate poor technical education and enable them to run the affair of the cooperative society successfully.
Unofficially cooperative (per-ordinance era) the period from 1935 is regarded as the period of modern cooperative, ordinance was enacted and when the movement because formalized and consolidated.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
According to Onuoha (1974:33) which stated that cooperative movement in Nigeria is burdened with many problems there problems lead to poor participation in the cooperative organization the problem among which are:
- Inadequate funding both internal and external.
- Poor member education and poor management.
- Excessive control by government leading to over dependence on government initiatives and directions.
- Refusal of banks and other financial institution to assessing the societies.
- Lack of government t interest in cooperative society.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
Although there are many types of cooperative movement and each has its own peculiar objectives some of those aims are fairly general and are applicable to most cooperative societies the objectives of this study includes;
- To ensure full participation of members in the affairs of the cooperative society.
- To promote mutual understanding among its members.
- To prevent exploitation of the worker members of the society.
- To protest the right of people a producers and consumers.
- To eliminate the unnecessarily profit of middlemen in the trade and commerce.
1.4 Significance of the Study
Cooperative societies are essential migrating in the development of any societies.
Cooperative societies find their essence not only in the rural area, but in semi urban areas.
Therefore, this study is to emphasis that major contribution in economic development of economic efficiency.
The stud is also to evaluate the powerful recommendation on how to improve their participation.
1.5 Scope and Limitation of the Study
For the scope of cooperative societies its causes and effect using Orlu local government area Imo State as its case stud and limitation of study discusses the problems and cause associated with poor participation of cooperative society ad the purpose of education toward the development of cooperative organization. One of the major constraints of this stud is that of time constraints that the research faced in collection of research materials from different sources, another constraint is the problem of finances which the researcher suffered when conducting this study.
Another constraints that I faced was in non-cooperative respondents. This constituted a problem because most of the respondents were very hostile therefore not much information was gotten from them.
1.5 Definition of Terms
Some economic terms were used in this work, they include;
Cooperation:
This is a joint or common effort or an association for common benefit.
Cooperative:
An association of person who have voluntarily joined together to achieve a common goal and through the formation of democratically controlled organization, making equitable contributions to the capital required and accepting affair share of the risks and benefits of the undertaking in which members achieve participates.
Consumers Cooperative:
They are the types of cooperative that specialize in the distributing of essential goods to members and they are mostly found in the urban areas.
ICA: International Cooperative Alliance:
They are international area body of all cooperative societies. It is an affiliate institution of the United Nations Catering for all world labour organization.
F.A.O. Food and Agriculture Organization: They are the agency of the United Nation. They contributed to the cooperative movement in the agricultural cooperative areas. Anglophone Africa: Those area English speaking Africans countries which was colonized by English Speaking colonization like Britain.
