The Founding Executive Director of the Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative and MFN South-South Coordinator, Amb. Pst. Edewor Egedegbe, has urged members of cooperative societies to cultivate the right mindset as a critical foundation for growth, sustainability, and long-term success.
Egedegbe made this call while delivering a keynote address titled “The Power of Cooperative: Enhancing Members’ Mindset for Growth and Sustainability” at the 2nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Gold Success Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Society, held in Ugbomro, Effurun, Delta State.
In his presentation, he emphasised that the success of any cooperative is largely driven by the attitude and commitment of its members. He urged participants to clearly understand their roles, embrace a progressive mindset, and ensure that cooperative resources are judiciously managed and invested in productive ventures that yield sustainable returns.
Highlighting the core objectives of cooperative societies, Egedegbe explained that their operations are anchored on three key pillars—economic, social, and cultural development. According to him, the economic goals are centred on improving members’ financial well-being through increased income, reduced costs via bulk purchasing, access to low-interest loans, improved market access, and job creation.
On the social front, he noted that cooperatives play a vital role in enhancing the quality of life of members by promoting unity, providing support during hardship, encouraging education and capacity building, and fostering fairness and inclusiveness. He added that well-structured welfare schemes can further strengthen members’ confidence and sense of belonging.
Speaking on cultural values, Egedegbe stressed the importance of promoting integrity, accountability, discipline, and respect for community traditions. He maintained that these values are essential in building trust, strengthening internal cohesion, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of cooperative societies.
He further called on members to actively participate in cooperative activities, while urging leadership to adopt inclusive decision-making processes. Transparency, accountability, and collective responsibility, he noted, remain indispensable to building resilient and thriving cooperative institutions.
