Imo State ( ig, Ȯra Imo) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, bordered to the north by

Anambra State Anambra State is a Nigerian state, located in the southeastern region of the country. The state was created on August 27, 1991. Anambra state is bounded by Delta State to the west, Imo State to the south, Enugu State to the east and Kogi State ...

Rivers State Rivers State, also known as Rivers, is a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed in 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include: Imo to the north, Abia and Akwa Ib ...

to the west and south, and

Abia State Abia State ( ig, Ȯha Abia) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, it is bordered to the north and northeast by the states of Enugu, and Ebonyi, Imo State to the west, Cross River State to the east, Akwa Ibom State to the ...

to the east. It takes its name from the

Imo River The Imo River (Igbo:Imo) is in southeastern Nigeria and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. In Akwa Ibom State, the river is known as Imoh River, that is, Inyang Imoh, which translates to River of Wealth (Ibibio: Inyang means River or Ocean, and Imoh ...

which flows along the state's eastern border. The state capital is Owerri and its state nickname is the "Eastern Heartland." Of the 36 states, Imo is the third smallest in area but is fourteenth most populous with an estimated population of over 5.4 million as of 2016. Geographically, the State is divided between the Niger Delta swamp forests in the far east and the drier Cross–Niger transition forests in the rest of the State. Other key geographical features are the state's rivers and lakes with the Awbana, Imo, Orashi, and Otamiri rivers along with the Oguta Lake in western Imo State. Modern-day Imo State has been inhabited for years by various ethnic groups, primarily the

Igbo people The Igbo people ( , ; also spelled Ibo" and formerly also ''Iboe'', ''Ebo'', ''Eboe'', * * * ''Eboans'', ''Heebo''; natively ) are an ethnic group in Nigeria. They are primarily found in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States. A ...

with the Igbo language serving as a

lingua franca A lingua franca (; ; for plurals see ), also known as a bridge language, common language, trade language, auxiliary language, vehicular language, or link language, is a language systematically used to make communication possible between groups ...

alongside

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

throughout the State. In the pre-colonial period, what is now Imo State was a part of medieval

Kingdom of Nri The Kingdom of Nri () was a medieval polity located in what is now Nigeria. The kingdom existed as a sphere of religious and political influence over a third of Igboland, and was administered by a priest-king called an ''Eze Nri''. The ''Eze Nri ...

and the later Aro Confederacy before the latter was defeated in the early 1900s by British troops in the Anglo-Aro War. After the war, the British incorporated the area into the Southern Nigeria Protectorate which later merged into

British Nigeria Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to British subjects in 1807. Britain a ...

in 1914; after the merger, Imo became a centre of anti-colonial resistance during the Women's War. After independence in 1960, the area of the present-day Imo was a part of the post-independence

Eastern Region Eastern Region or East Region may refer to: * Eastern Region (Abu Dhabi): Al Ain *Eastern Region, Ghana *Eastern Region (Iceland) *Eastern Region, Nepal *Eastern Region, Nigeria * Eastern Region, Serbia * Eastern Region, Uganda * Eastern Region of ...

until 1967 when the region was split and the area became part of the

East Central State East Central State is a former administrative division of Nigeria. It was created on 27 May 1967 from parts of the Eastern Region and existed until 3 February 1976, when it was divided into two states - Anambra and Imo. The area now comprises fi ...

. Less than two months afterwards, the former Eastern Region attempted to secede in the three-year long Nigerian Civil War with Imo as a part of the secessionist, Igbo nationalist state of

Biafra Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a partially recognised secessionist state in West Africa that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 until 1970. Its territory consisted of the predominantly Igbo-populated form ...

. The area was hard fought over throughout the war with Owerri and its surrounding area exchanging hands twice before Owerri was named the Biafran capital in 1969. The present-day Imo State was captured by federal forces in early 1970 with

Operation Tail-Wind {{Campaignbox Biafran War Operation Tail-Wind (January 7 – 12, 1970) was the final military conflict between Nigeria and Biafra. The operation took place in the towns of Owerri and Uli, both of which were captured by Nigerian forces. The oper ...

taking the city and ending the war. At the war's end and the reunification of Nigeria, the

was reformed until 1976 when Imo State was formed by the

Murtala Muhammed Murtala Ramat Muhammad (8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976) was a Nigerian general who led the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup in overthrowing the Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi military regime and featured prominently during the Nigerian Civil War ...

regime. Fifteen years afterwards, Imo State was divided with eastern Imo being broken off to form the new

. The State economy is highly dependent on agricultural production, especially the production of

palm oil Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 33% of global oils produced from ...

, which a majority of citizens rely on for cooking. A key minor industry is the extraction of

crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude ...

and

natural gas Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbo ...

, especially in Imo's north and west. The State has been beset by violence at various points throughout its history, most notably the anti-cult

1996 Otokoto Riots The 1996 Otokoto Riots were a series of spontaneous protests and looting in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria over two days in September. The immediate trigger for the civil unrest was the revelation of the kidnapping and brutal murder of 11-year-old sch ...

and the ongoing separatist violence from the Eastern Security Network along with other opportunistic nativist gunmen. Despite unrest, with its fast growing population and industrialization, Imo State has the joint-sixth highest

Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, whi ...

in the country.

Location

Imo State is bordered by

on the East, River Niger and Delta State to the West,

on the North, and

to the South. The state lies within latitudes 4°45'N and 7°15'N, and longitude 6°50'E and 7°25'E, with an area of around 5,100 sq km.

Natural resources

The State has several natural resources which includes,

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

, Calcium Carbonate, solar and wind power,

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...

. Profitable flora including iroko,

mahogany Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Unive ...

obeche ''Triplochiton scleroxylon'' is a tree of the genus ''Triplochiton'' of the family ''Malvaceae''. The timber is known by the common names African whitewood, abachi, obeche (in Nigeria), wawa (in Ghana), ayous (in Cameroon) and sambawawa (in Ivory ...

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

, rubber tree and

oil palm ''Elaeis'' () is a genus of palms containing two species, called oil palms. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African oil palm ''Elaeis guineensis'' (the species name ''guineensis'' referring to its co ...

. Additionally white clay, fine sand and

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

are also found in the State.

Oil and gas exploration

There are over 163 oil wells, at over 12 different locations in the State. The main petroleum companies operating in the State are Addax Petroleum,

Chevron Corporation Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation. The second-largest direct descendant of Standard Oil, and originally known as the Standard Oil Company of California (shortened to Socal or CalSo), it is headquartered in S ...

Royal Dutch Shell Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New Yo ...

and Agip. Some of the established oil-rich local government councils include:

Ohaji/Egbema Ohaji-Egbema is an oil-rich Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is Mmahu-Egbema. Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area as presently constituted was created by the Gen. Ibrahim B. Babangida’s administration by the Augu ...

, Oguta,

Oru East Oru-East is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is at Omuma. The following are towns that make up Oru East: Akatta, Akuma, Amagu, Amiri, Awo-Omamma, and Omuma. Oru East is bounded by Njaba LGA, Mbaitolu, Orlu, ...

, Iho,

Oru West Oru West is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Mgbidi. It has an area of and a population of 159,300 according to the 2016 Nigerian census. The postal code A postal code (also known locally i ...

Obowo Obowo, also spelled Obowu is a Local Government Area in Imo State, Nigeria formed during the Ibrahim Babangida administration in May 1989. It was carved out of Etiti Local Government Area with its headquarters at Isi Nweke. There are twenty-two ...

and

Ngor Okpala Ngor Okpala is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Umuneke Ngor. It has an area of 561 km²; it has a population of 159,932 at the 2006 census. It is a notable place in Imo state because of the ...

Investment opportunities

Many investment opportunities exist in the State including oil and gas exploration, chemical plants, brewery plants,

hydroelectric plants Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

, gas-fired power plants, grain mills, starch production, cashews, fruit and vegetable juice concentrate production, integrated multi-oil seed processing plants, ceramics, inland

waterway A waterway is any navigable body of water. Broad distinctions are useful to avoid ambiguity, and disambiguation will be of varying importance depending on the nuance of the equivalent word in other languages. A first distinction is necessary b ...

transport, and palm produce industry. Independent global brewer Heineken, through its subsidiary

Nigerian Breweries Nigerian Breweries Plc, is the largest brewing company in Nigeria. It serves the Nigerian market and West Africa. History Early years The idea to establish a brewery in Lagos was first promoted by Frank Samuel of UAC prior to World War II. Bu ...

, has significant investment in Imo State. The company manages the world-class Awo-omamma Brewery, a multiple-line plant. Many more oil and gas opportunities are yet to be developed. The

federal government A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...

has been called to inspect newly discovered oil-rich areas, which might help foster economic development and job creation. Industrial parks and processing zones to harness the huge agricultural produce and minerals would give a major boost to the state's economic growth and industrialization. Oguta Lake, Palm Beach Holiday Resort in Awo-omamma , and a host of other tourist sites along the banks of the 26 km-length Njaba River present hotspots for tourism.

Agriculture

Agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

is the primary occupation, but due to over-farming and high population density, the soil has greatly degraded.This could be as a result of inefficient production techniques, poor resource base, declining soil productivity, predominance of primitive techniques of agricultural production, inadequate supply of credit, low capital investment, use of crude implements to mention but a few. The Agricultural sector in Imo State, needs the intervention of the state government and other huge private companies, this is because having a strong economy based on

and

will not aid for the development of the State.

Climate change

The rainy season begins in April and lasts until October, with annual rainfall varying from 1,500 mm to 2,200 mm (60 to 80 inches). An average annual temperature above , creates an annual relative humidity of 75%. With humidity reaching 90% in the rainy season. The

dry season The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The te ...

experiences two months of

Harmattan The Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into the ...

, from late December to late February. The hottest months are between January and March. With high population density and over farming, the soil has been degraded and much of the native

vegetation Vegetation is an assemblage of plant species and the ground cover they provide. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic character ...

has disappeared. This

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...

has triggered

soil erosion Soil erosion is the denudation or wearing away of the upper layer of soil. It is a form of soil degradation. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice (glaciers), snow, air (wind), plants, and ...

, which is compounded by heavy seasonal rainfall that has led to the destruction of houses and roads.

History

Imo State came into existence in 1976, along with other new states created under the leadership of the late military ruler of Nigeria,

, having been previously part of

East-Central State East Central State is a former administrative division of Nigeria. It was created on 27 May 1967 from parts of the Eastern Region and existed until 3 February 1976, when it was divided into two states - Anambra and Imo. The area now comprises fi ...

. The state is named after the

, which bears the name of a prominent

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...

family with that family name, who were the chiefs of Imo State before the ratification of a more formal government. Part of it was split off in 1991 as

, and another part became

Ebonyi State Ebonyi State ( ig, Ȯra Ebonyi) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north and northeast by Benue State, Enugu State to the west, Cross River State to the east and southeast, and Abia State to the southwes ...

. Imo State was created at Ngwoma, and the meetings for the state creation which began after the

Nigerian Civil War The Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970), also known as the Nigerian–Biafran War or the Biafran War, was a civil war fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist state which had declared its independence f ...

ended in 1970 were chaired by Eze S. E. Onukogu.

Riots

The people of Imo State carried out the

Otokoto riots of 1996 The 1996 Otokoto Riots were a series of spontaneous protests and looting in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria over two days in September. The immediate trigger for the civil unrest was the revelation of the kidnapping and brutal murder of 11-year-old sch ...

, which was a statewide protest, in response to the serial kidnappings and murders occurring in Imo at that point in time. One of the most remarkable riots that took place in Imo state, that led to the destruction of properties was the #ENDSARS protest. This protest which started peacefully not only in Imo state, led to riots and destruction of police stations, and killing of security personnel #ENDSARS in Imo State.

Government

The State has a three-tier administrative structure: State, Local and Autonomous community levels. The three arms at state level are the

Executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dire ...

, the

Legislative A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known as p ...

and the Judiciary. The executive arm is headed by an elected Governor, who is assisted by a deputy governor, commissioners and executive advisers. This is a list of administrators and governors of Imo State since its creation. The legislative arm is headed by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly. The current Speaker is Rt. Hon. Emeka Nduka , and his deputy is Rt. Hon. Amara iwuanyanwu . The remainder of the house is made up of elected legislators, from the 27 LGAs of the State. The judiciary is made up of the high court of justice and the customary court of appeal, and is headed by the Chief Judge of the State.

Local Government Areas

Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area in Imo State

Okigwe Local Government Area, Imo State , Nigeria

Imo State consists of 27

local government areas A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory. The phrase i ...

: *

Aboh Mbaise Aboh Mbaise is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Aboh. It has an area of 184 km and a population of 194,779 at the 2006 census. There are different towns in Aboh-Mbaise such as Nguru, Uvuru, Mbu ...

Ahiazu Mbaise Ahiazu Mbaise is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. It is as a result of a merger between Ahiara and Ekwerazu. Its headquarters are in the town of Afo oru. There are fourteen (14) towns that make up Ahiazu Mbaise. They include; Mpam, I ...

Ehime Mbano Ehime Mbano is a local government area in Imo State, Nigeria. Home of HRH Eze Emmanuel Ibechi Akagu 1 of Umuakagu autonomous community. Orieagu is a major daily market here . The postal code A postal code (also known locally in various ...

Ezinihitte Mbaise Ezinihitte Mbaise is a local Government Area in Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarter is in Itu The International Telecommunication Union is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for many matters related to information and ...

Ideato North Ideato North is a Local Government Area in Imo State, Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Afri ...

Ideato South Ideato South is a Local Government Area in Imo State, South-eastern Nigeria. Ideato South, with a total of 23 autonomous communities has its headquarters in the town of Dikenafai, the source of Orashi River. Ideato South has an area of 88&nbs ...

* Ihitte/Uboma *

Ikeduru Ikeduru Local Government Area (LGA) is located in the western part of Imo State, in southern Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of ...

Isiala Mbano Isiala Mbano is a Local Government Area in Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Umuelemai. It has an area of 166 square km and a population of 198,736 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 471. Geographical locatio ...

* Isu *

Mbaitoli Mbaitoli is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Nwaorieubi (or Nworieubi). It has an area of 204 km² and a population of 327,000. The postal code of the area is 461. Mbaitoli is divided i ...

Njaba Njaba is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is located in the town of Nnenasa. It has an area of 84 km2 and a population of 143,485 at the 2006 census. The 2011 density projection is 2,004.5 inhabitants/km2. Th ...

Nkwerre Nkwerre is one of the Local Government Areas of Nigeria, Local Government Areas in Imo State, South-East, Nigeria. It is situated in Nkwerre town where the name of the local government area was derived. Its population was placed at 80,270 from the ...

* Nwangele *

* Oguta *

* Okigwe *

Onuimo Onuimo is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Okwe. It comprises four towns namely: Okwe, Okwelle, Umuduru-Egbeaguru and Umuna. It is home to very prominent Nigerians such as The ever influential dyna ...

* Orlu *

Orsu Orsu is a local government area (LGA) and tribe in the Imo State of Nigeria. Orsu is also the name of the dialect of this people. They are an Igbo sub-group located west of Orlu, north of Oguta and in the general areas around Oru East, Oru West, ...

Owerri Municipal Owerri Municipal is a Local Government Area in Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the city of Owerri. It has an area of 58 km² and a population of 127,213 according to the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 460. Owerri city s ...

Owerri North Owerri North is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Orie Uratta. It has an area of 198 square km and a population of 175,395 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 460. Owerri North is sem ...

Owerri West Owerri West is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Umuguma. Owerri West Local Government is administered under the terms of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Elections to the office ...

Njaba South Njaba is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is located in the town of Nnenasa. It has an area of 84 km2 and a population of 143,485 at the 2006 census. The 2011 density projection is 2,004.5 inhabitants/km2. The ...

Smaller jurisdictions in the state may receive township status or urban status.

Demographics

The state has over 4.8 million people, and the population density varies from 230 to 1,400 people per square kilometre. Christianity is the major religion. In addition to its capital, other notable towns are Orlu,

, Oguta, Awo-Omamma, Mgbidi, Mbaise, Okigwe and

. Imo State is a predominantly Igbo speaking state, with

constituting a majority of 98%.

Education

Institutions of higher learning

There are several institutions of higher learning including both state and federal government run institutions such as: *

Eastern Palm University The Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University is a Tertiary education, tertiary institution at Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. The Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University (KOMU) (formerly Eastern Palm University) is a public uni ...

, Ogboko, Ideato *

Federal Polytechnic, Nekede The Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, is a federal government-owned higher education institution located in Nekede, Owerri West local government area, Imo State, south-eastern Nigeria. It was established on a temporary site at the premise of Govern ...

* Federal University of Technology Owerri * Hezekiah University, Umudi * Imo State University, Owerri *

Imo State Polytechnic Imo State Polytechnic is a higher education institute in Umuagwo, Imo State, Nigeria. It was established in 1978 as the Michael Okpara College of Agriculture, Umuagwo and was upgraded to a Polytechnic status, renamed as the Imo State Polytechnic, ...

Umuagwo Umuagwo is a town in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State in Nigeria. The population is mostly Christian and Igbo-speaking. The town lies on the Otamiri River downstream from Ihiagwa and from Owerri on the Port Harcourt r ...

Alvan Ikoku College of Education Alvan or Alavan may refer to: * Alvan (singer), a French singer * Alvan (biblical figure), a minor biblical figure * Alvan, East Azerbaijan, a village in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Alvan, Iran, a city in Khuzestan Province * Alvan, Shadegan, ...

University of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Umuagwo A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which rou ...

Federal College of Land and Water Resources, Oforola Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...

Environmental issues

Soil erosion

Soil Erosion Soil erosion is the denudation or wearing away of the upper layer of soil. It is a form of soil degradation. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice (glaciers), snow, air (wind), plants, and ...

is the most common geo-environmental hazard in Imo State, with over 360 erosion sites, out of which 57 are confirmed to be critical and in need of immediate remediation. They are mostly

gully A gully is a landform created by running water, mass movement, or commonly a combination of both eroding sharply into soil or other relatively erodible material, typically on a hillside or in river floodplains or terraces. Gullies resemble lar ...

erosion found in

Ideato The Anglican Diocese of Ideato is one of twelve within the Anglican Province of Owerri, Nigeria. It is one of the fourteen provinces within the Church of Nigeria. The diocese was created out of the then Okigwe-Orlu Diocese in 1999. The current b ...

, Orlu, Ihitte-uboma,

Arondizuogu Arondizuogu (Aro-ndizuogu) is a town inhabited by the Igbo subgroup, the Aro people in the Imo State of Nigeria. The Arondizuogu community is believed to have migrated from Arochukwu in the present Abia State, to their current settlements in across ...

, Umuomi-ikeduru and

areas of the state. These gullies are attributed mainly to poor

civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...

works, specifically road/gutter construction as well as sand mining. During road construction, adequate control of the

runoff Runoff, run-off or RUNOFF may refer to: * RUNOFF, the first computer text-formatting program * Runoff or run-off, another name for bleed, printing that lies beyond the edges to which a printed sheet is trimmed * Runoff or run-off, a stock market ...

generated in this process is poorly taken into consideration. There is also no proper termination, spill way, and gabions to lower intense flow to non-erosion velocities during gutter construction. Hence, rainwater overflow from concrete gutters resulting in erosion, especially at the intersection of gutter and road. Due to gullies,

farmlands Agricultural land is typically land ''devoted to'' agriculture, the systematic and controlled use of other forms of lifeparticularly the rearing of livestock and production of cropsto produce food for humans. It is generally synonymous with bot ...

have been significantly affected, with both farmlands and their road paths lost. There is also loss of social

infrastructure Infrastructure is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country, city, or other area, and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy, households and firms to function. Infrastructure is composed of public and priv ...

s such as, electricity and pipe-borne waters. Communities such as

, Orlu,

, Nwangele,

and

dependent on stream and harvested rain water for domestic use have been impacted due to surface water/stream pollution caused by intense runoffs from the gully sites.

Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) is a World Bank assisted project aimed at addressing the Nigerian gully erosion crisis in Southeastern Nigeria and land degradation in Northern Nigeria on a multi-dimensional scale. This pro ...

(NEWMAP), kick-started in the state on November 11, 2014 and the ecological fund are some of the interventions for soil erosion in the State. Communities such as Eziala- Obizi in

LGA; Iyiuzo-Ihioma-Ogberuru in Orlu LGA; Umueshi-Amanato in Ideato South LGA; Umuturu -Ezemazu -Urualla in Ideato North LGA; Umunumo Ibeafor in Ehime Mbano LGA; and Umueze Obazu-Mbieri in Mbaitoli LGA are beneficiaries of the NEWMAP

project A project is any undertaking, carried out individually or collaboratively and possibly involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a particular goal. An alternative view sees a project managerially as a sequence of even ...

in Imo State.

Flooding

Available research identifies Oguta,

and

Owerri municipal Owerri Municipal is a Local Government Area in Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the city of Owerri. It has an area of 58 km² and a population of 127,213 according to the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 460. Owerri city s ...

LGAs as very high flood areas; Mbaitolu, Ikeduru,

, Onuimo, IhiteUboma, Obowo and Ehime Mbano LGAs as moderate flood hazard areas; and northern of Isiala Mbano, Nwangele, Nkwere, Orlu, Ehime Mbano and Southern part of Ideato North, Okigwe and Ideato South LGAs as low flood hazard areas. In August 2019, flooding caused by heavy rain submerged about 70 houses, displaced 2000 villagers and destroyed farmlands in Orsu-Obodo community, in the Oguta local government area. Many residents in the state capital ( Owerri) were also displaced in 2017. The Orlu-Umuchima-Obiohia-Akokwa-Uga federal road has been cut off by gully erosion thereby leaving motorists and other road users stranded.

Notable people

Sport

Chioma Ajunwa Chioma Ajunwa-Opara, MON, OLY (born 25 December 1970) – also known as Chioma Ajunwa – is a Nigerian former track and field athlete and football player, notable for becoming the first Nigerian to win gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atl ...

– 1996 Olympic gold long jumper *

Chidobe Awuzie Chidobe Richard Awuzie (born May 24, 1995) is an American football cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He played college fo ...

- cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals *

Kelechi Iheanacho Kelechi Promise Iheanacho () (spelled ''Ịheanachọ'' in Igbo) (born 3 October 1996) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Leicester City and the Nigeria national team. Iheanacho began his senior career at ...

– striker for Leicester City, U-17 World Cup winner and tournament's MVP (2013) *

Samuel Okwaraji Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji (19 May 1964 – 12 August 1989) was a professional footballer who played internationally for Nigeria. He was also a qualified lawyer who had a masters in international law from the Pontifical Lateran University of Ro ...

(1964–1989) – national footballer *

Levi Onwuzurike Levi Onwuzurike (born March 2, 1998) is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington, and was selected by the Lions in the second round of the 2021 NF ...

- defensive tackle for Detroit Lions 2021–present

Arts

Obianuju Catherine Acholonu Catherine Obianuju Acholonu (26 October 1951 – 18 March 2014) was a Nigerians, Nigerian author, researcher and political activist. She served as a Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Arts and Culture, and was a foun ...

– author * Charly Boy – hip hop singer and activist *

Rita Dominic Rita Uchenna Nkem Dominic Nwaturuocha (born 12 July 1975) is a Nigerian actress. In 2012, Rita Dominic won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Early life Rita Dominic is a multiple award-winning Nollywood actress ...

– Nigerian actress *

Prince Eke Prince Oluebube Eke (born 18 August 1981) is a Nigerian actor, film director, writer, television personality and model. He was married to Muma Gee, a businesswoman with whom he had three children. He first garnered fame as an actor in 2003 starrin ...

- Nollywood actor *

Ada Jesus Mercy Mmesoma Obi Nnadi ( née Obi; 19 April 1998 – 21 April 2021), popularly known as Ada Jesus was a Nigerian actress and comedian. Early life and education Ada Jesus was from Orlu, Imo, Nigeria. She graduated from Imo State University. Ca ...

– Nigerian actress and comedienne * John Munonye – author * Genevieve Nnaji – Nollywood actress * Alban Uzoma Nwapa – Eurodance musician *

Onyeka Nwelue Onyeka Nwelue (born 31 January 1988) is a Nigerian filmmaker, publisher, talk-show host, author, Visiting scholar, academic visitor and founder of the James Currey Society, at the African Studies Centre, University of Oxford and a Visiting Sch ...

– author, scholar, actor, entrepreneur * Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna – highlife musician *

Onyeka Onwenu Onyeka Onwenu (born 31 January 1952) is a Nigerian singer/songwriter, actress, human right activist, social activist, journalist, politician, and former ''X Factor'' series judge. Dubbed the "Elegant Stallion" by the Nigerian press, she is a fo ...

– singer, actress and politician *

Benjamin Okorie The Cavemen (stylized as The Cavemen.) are a Nigerian Highlife band consisting of sibling duo Kingsley Okorie, a bassist and Benjamin James, a drummer. They were discovered by Lady Donli and are known for their live performances. They won the 202 ...

highlife musician *

Kingsley Okorie The Cavemen (stylized as The Cavemen.) are a Nigerian Highlife band consisting of sibling duo Kingsley Okorie, a bassist and Benjamin James, a drummer. They were discovered by Lady Donli and are known for their live performances. They won the 202 ...

highlife musician

Politics

Pats Acholonu Ignatius Chukwudi Pats Acholonu (also known as ''Crown Prince Hon. Justice Ignatius Chukwudinka Kingsley Pats Acholonu JSC, CON'' or ''Pats-Acholonu'', July 15, 1936 – May 14, 2006) was a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria The Supreme Court ...

–

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

Justice *

Chris Anyanwu Christiana "Chris" Anyanwu MFR (born 28 October 1951) is a Nigerian journalist, publisher, author, and politician. She was imprisoned from 1995 to 1998 for treason after reporting on a failed coup d'état against the government of Sani Abacha, ...

– journalist and senator *

Ifeanyi Ararume Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume born (December 16, 1958) is a Nigerian politician who has been recently appointed by the country's minister of Petroleum Resources, as the Chairman, board of management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NN ...

– former senator of Okigwe zone (1999-2007) *

Kema Chikwe Kemafo Nonyerem "Kema" Chikwe is a former Nigerian Federal Minister of Aviation. She currently holds the position of National Women Leader of the Nigerian political party PDP. Chikwe started school at the age of five at Aba in what is now Abia ...

– former Minister of Aviation *

Sebastian Okechukwu Mezu Dr Sebastian Okechukwu Mezu (born April 30, 1941) is a Nigerian writer, scholar, philanthropist, and publisher. He was involved in politics in Nigeria in the late 1970s. Background Sebastian Okechukwu Mezu was born on April 30, 1941, in Ezeogb ...

– Nigerian writer, scholar, philanthropist, publisher, and politician *

Chile Eboe-Osuji Chile Eboe-Osuji (born 2 September 1962) is a Distinguished International Jurist at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law and a Special Advisor to the President's Office at Toronto Metropolitan University. In his role at the Lincoln Alexander Schoo ...

- Judge, International Court of Criminal Justice, Hague *

Evan Enwerem Evan Enwerem (29 October 1935 – 2 August 2007) was a Nigerian politician who served as President of the Nigerian Senate in 1999. He was a member of the People's Democratic Party. Early life Evan Enwerem was born in Ikeduru, Imo State, Nigeria ...

– former governor and former President of the Senate *

Emeka Ihedioha Emeka Ihedioha (born 24 March 1965) is a Nigerian politician and Businessman. Ihedioha is the governor with the shortest tenure in South Eastern Nigeria. He is the former Governor of Imo State and a former Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of ...

- former Governor and Chief whip Nigeria House of Representatives *

Maurice Iwu Maurice Mmaduakolam Iwu (born 21 April 1950) is a Nigerian Professor of Pharmacognosy who was appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in June 2005, and was removed from office in April 2010. Background Maurice Mm ...

– former INEC chairman *

Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (born September 4, 1942) is a Nigerian politician and businessman, considered one of the richest men in Nigeria. Biography Iwuanyanwu was born on September 4, 1942 in Atta, Ikeduru local government area of Imo St ...

– politician and businessman *

Prince Eze Madumere Prince Ezeakonobi Madumere (born 4 July 1964) is an entrepreneur, management consultant and administrator. He was sworn in as deputy governor after the impeachment of the former deputy governor Sir Jude Agbaso by the Imo House of Assembly. He also ...

- former Deputy Governor *

K. O. Mbadiwe Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe (1915–1990) was a Nigerian nationalist, politician, statesman and government minister in the Nigerian First Republic.and a Biafran Roving ambassador during th civil war. Early life Mbadiwe was born to the family of Mbad ...

– former Minister of Commerce and Industry *

Sam Mbakwe Samuel "Sam" Onunaka Mbakwe (1929 – 5 January 2004) also known as Dee Sam was an Igbo politician and first democratic governor of Imo State, southern Nigeria from 1 October 1979 until 31 December 1983. The Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, ...

– former Governor *

Henry Nwawuba Henry Nwawuba (born 27 February 1969) is a Nigerian politician, entrepreneur, banker and philanthropist. He is a member of the House of Representatives (Nigeria), representing Mbaitoli/Ikeduru Federal Constituency of Imo state. He is currently ...

- Politician and Entrepreneur * Raymond Njoku – former Minister of Transportation *

Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba (born 20 August 1967) is a Nigerian politician and lawyer. He was the Minister of State for Education of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. from 2019 and resigned on April 28th 2022 after receiving an APC Expression of Intere ...

- former House of Representatives Member and current Minister of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria *

Arthur Nzeribe Francis Arthur Nzeribe (2 November 1938 – 8 May 2022) was a Nigerian politician who was Senator for the Orlu Senatorial constituency in Imo State from October 1983 to December 1983 and May 1999 to May 2007 on the People's Democratic Party (PD ...

– former Senator Orlu Zone, Member of the Senate of Nigeria in the 4th National Assembly (1999-2003) *

Walter Ofonagoro Walter Ofonagoro (born 24 June 1940) is a Nigerian scholar, politician and businessman who is a former Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (Nigeria), Minister of Information and Culture, Nigeria, Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is also ...

– former Minister of Information and Culture * Ikedi Ohakim – former governor *

Chris Okewulonu Chris Okewulonu (born December 24, 1960) is a Nigerian Barrister, politician and entrepreneur. He served as the Chief of Staff to Emeka Ihedioha as the Governor of Imo State from 3 June 2019 to 15 January 2020 He is a member of the People's D ...

– Chief of Staff *

Rochas Okorocha Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha (born 22 September 1962) is a Nigerian politician of Igbo extraction, from Imo State. He is the senator representing Imo West Senatorial district at the 9th Nigerian Senate. He is also the former Governor of Imo St ...

– former governor and a serving senator representing Imo West, under investigation as of May 2022 *

Fabian Osuji Professor Fabian Ngozichukwu Chinedum Osuji (born 20 January 1942) was the Federal Minister of Education in Nigeria from July 2003 until March 2005. Academic career An outstanding scholar from youth, Osuji attended Holy Ghost College, Owerri, G ...

– former Minister of Education * Ugonna Ozurigbo – Deputy Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly (2015–), and Member *

Achike Udenwa Achike Udenwa (born in 1948) was the governor of Imo State in Nigeria. He became governor after winning the election in 1999. Udenwa won re-election in 2003, and his term ended on 29 May 2007. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party. Udenw ...

– former Governor *

Hope Uzodinma Hope Odidika Uzodimma (born 12 December 1958) is a Nigerian politician who serves as Governor of Imo State. On 14 January 2020, the Supreme Court in Nigeria declared Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the 2019 govern ...

- Governor of Imo state

Other

Adiele Afigbo Adiele Eberechukwu Afigbo (22 November 1937 – 9 March 2009) was a Nigerian historian known for the history and historiography of Africa, more particularly Igbo history and the history of Southeastern Nigeria. Themes emphasised include pre-colo ...

– historian * Michael Echeruo – academic and writer in Igbo studies * Nenny B – media personality *

Evelyn Okere Evelyn Okere is a Nigerian businesswoman. She publishes a health and fashion magazine, ''St. Eve''; is managing director of a health business, St. Eve Concepts; and has a fashion company, Rose di Omimi. Early life Okere attended University of Ni ...

– Nigerian businesswoman, publisher, fashion designer *

Odumeje Chukwuemeka Cyril Ohanaemere (born 9 September 1982), predominantly known as Odùméje, is a Nigerian clergyman as the general overseer of ''The Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry'', and a musician. Early life Odùm� ...

— Clergyman.

References

External links

* — {{Portal bar, Nigeria States of Nigeria States in Igboland States and territories established in 1976 Library of Congress Africa Collection related 1976 establishments in Nigeria