This research project is a very crucial study designed to find out THE ROLE OF CO-OPERATIVE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT have been contributed both Educationally and Economically towards the development of Akwa Ibom State and also to find out if they made any achievement through their qualified and competent personnel. To solve the research problem both primary and secondary data were collected. The research installment used in collecting the data were questionnaires and oral interview. Questionnaires were distributed to the Bureau of Co-operative Development Staff in Akwa Ibom State. After concluding the research work, it was discovered that the co-operative were doing fairly well. This implies that both the high and low income earnests benefit from the existence of co-operative societies. This findings is similar to an earlier findings by Tijani (1988) one of the main findings by Tijani (1988) is the fact that co-operative societies exist in every community in Nigeria that this catches across social stratification. Intensive training programme should develop to encourage to avoid themselves grow having non-challant attitude towards co-operative societies. Rural dwellers should be encourage to access to the benefit accruing from co-operative societies. Co-operative should be supported to undertake marketing storage and provide essential commodities tot her members.
It is pertinent at this juncture to defines what is co-operative society is all about, Okonkwo (1984) described he co-operative society as a voluntary association of free and independent persons, for the betterment of their economic conditions. This definition emphasized three important words; these are voluntary, free and economic the association is purely voluntary and there is no compulsion of any type to force one to become a member of a co-operative without the persons willingness to become a member. The member who forced co-operatives are free to? or not.
The organization is primarily on economic motive. The definition also stressed the economic nature of the association, through, it contradicts with other business associations such as public liability companies, partnership business and social clubs. Bade (1960) saw co-operative society as an association of persons with the same economic problem and who voluntarily associate on the basis of equal right and obligation and endeavor to solve those problems mainly conduction of their own risk, an undertaking to wheal they transpired one of many of the economic function, that correspond to the needs and utilizing this undertaking for their common natural and moral benefits.
Also Water (1960) says that co-operative societies involve the application of philosophy of brotherhood to the economy.
Berko (1987) says that “co-operative society is a voluntary and democratic association of persons, with variable membership and variable capital whose members pooled themselves and their resources together on mutual and self help basis to form a business enterprise which seeks to solve the socio-economic problem(s) of these members by directly providing goods and services to them in their capacity a either the owner/customer or owner-employees of the co-operation enterprise”.
Finally, Ajenuro (1975) maintained that co-operators pool their resources together with a view of make project or simples thus, a group of two hundred farmers may join themselves together into a co-operative society in order to pursue their farming business more efficiently and thus enhance this economic benefits. The co-operatives movement can be regarded as an invention of necessity, origination from the evils of industrial revolution of late 18th and 19th centuries in England among the working class societies. The condition of workers in Britain was very poor. To solve their economic problems the works resorted to form various types of co-operative societies that were directly beneficial to their members. The most successful of the first co-operative society was formed in 1844 at Rochdale, England called the ROCHDALE EQUITABLE PIONEERS SOCIETY and, it has twenty eight (28) members. From the impact and benefit enjoyed by the members, various kind of these organizations stated to emerged with varying names but with the common objectives of self-help and self reliance.
Due to the problems sited above, the researcher deemed its necessary ad to study how these societies has helped toward the economic development of Nigeria.
The aim of these societies was to free the members from exploitation and produce something that will yield money to take case of their need that led them to producing and operating a co-operative shop where they sell or transact business.
Among the co-operative societies today are the consumer co-operatives, marketing co-operatives wholesale co-operative, producers co-operatives, thrift and credit co-operative societies, hey continued existence and contribution to their members in particular and economy in general call for mention in this circumstance.
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