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 St ...
,
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 ...
to the west and south, and
Abia State to the east. It takes its name from the
Imo River 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 with the
Igbo language serving as a
lingua franca 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 ...
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 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 f ...
. 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 taking the city and ending the war. At the war's end and the reunification of Nigeria, 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 ...
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
Abia State.
The State economy is highly dependent on agricultural production, especially the production of
palm oil, 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 carbon d ...
, 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 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, w ...
in the country.
Location
Imo State is bordered by
Abia State on the East, River Niger and
Delta State to the West,
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 St ...
on the North, and
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 ...
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,
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 ...
,
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 carbon d ...
,
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 cut, ...
,
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,
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 ...
,
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, ...
,
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 c ...
. 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 w ...
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,
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 ...
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
Imo State ( ig, Ȯra Imo) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by Anambra State, Rivers State to the west and south, and Abia State to the east. It ...
,
Obowo and
Ngor Okpala
Ngor Okpala is a Local Government Area of Imo State
Imo State ( ig, Ȯra Imo) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by Anambra State, Rivers State to the west and south, and Abia State to the east. ...
.
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 ...
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. ...
, 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 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 ...
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
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 ...
,
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 carbon d ...
and
palm oil 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 ...
experiences two months of
Harmattan, 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 charac ...
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 ...
has triggered
soil erosion, 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,
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 ...
, having been previously part of
East-Central State. The state is named after the
Imo River, 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 jo ...
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
Abia State, 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 south ...
.
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 ...
ended in 1970 were chaired by Eze S. E. Onukogu.
Riots
The people of Imo State carried out the
Otokoto riots of 1996, 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 di ...
, 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 ...
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
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 phra ...
:
*
Aboh Mbaise
*
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, ...
*
Ehime Mbano
*
Ezinihitte Mbaise
*
Ideato North
*
Ideato South
*
Ihitte/Uboma
*
Ikeduru
*
Isiala Mbano
*
Isu
*
Mbaitoli
*
Ngor Okpala
Ngor Okpala is a Local Government Area of Imo State
Imo State ( ig, Ȯra Imo) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by Anambra State, Rivers State to the west and south, and Abia State to the east. ...
*
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. The ...
*
Nkwerre
*
Nwangele
*
Obowo
*
Oguta
*
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 ...
*
Okigwe
*
Onuimo
*
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, Nigeria, Orlu, north of Oguta and in the general areas around Oru Ea ...
*
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, ...
*
Oru West
Oru West is a Local Government Area of Imo State
Imo State ( ig, Ȯra Imo) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by Anambra State, Rivers State to the west and south, and Abia State to the east. It ...
*
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 West
*
Njaba South
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,
Obowo,
Oguta, Awo-Omamma, Mgbidi, Mbaise,
Okigwe and
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 ...
.
Imo State is a predominantly
Igbo speaking state, with
Igbo people 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, Ogboko, Ideato
*
Federal Polytechnic, Nekede
*
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 ...
*
Alvan Ikoku College of Education
*
University of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Umuagwo
*
Federal College of Land and Water Resources, Oforola
Environmental issues
Soil erosion
Soil Erosion 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 erosion found in
Ideato,
Orlu,
Ihitte-uboma,
Arondizuogu, Umuomi-ikeduru and
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. The ...
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, sewa ...
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 marke ...
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 ...
have been significantly affected, with both farmlands and their road paths lost. There is also loss of social
infrastructures such as, electricity and pipe-borne waters. Communities such as
Ikeduru,
Orlu,
Ehime Mbano,
Nwangele,
Nkwerre and
Mbaitoli 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 (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
Ezinihitte Mbaise 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 in Imo State.
Flooding
Available research identifies
Oguta,
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 ...
,
Ngor Okpala
Ngor Okpala is a Local Government Area of Imo State
Imo State ( ig, Ȯra Imo) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by Anambra State, Rivers State to the west and south, and Abia State to the east. ...
,
Owerri West,
Owerri North,
Aboh Mbaise 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,
Aboh Mbaise, 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 Atlan ...
– 1996 Olympic gold long jumper
*
Chidobe Awuzie - 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 (1964–1989) – national footballer
*
Levi Onwuzurike- defensive tackle for Detroit Lions 2021–present
Arts
*
Obianuju Catherine Acholonu – author
*
Charly Boy – hip hop singer and activist
*
Rita Dominic – Nigerian actress
*
Prince Eke - Nollywood actor
*
Ada Jesus – Nigerian actress and comedienne
*
John Munonye – author
*
Genevieve Nnaji – Nollywood actress
*
Alban Uzoma Nwapa – Eurodance musician
*
Onyeka Nwelue – 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 highlife musician
*
Kingsley Okorie highlife musician
Politics
*
Pats Acholonu –
Supreme Court 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 – former senator of Okigwe zone (1999-2007)
*
Kema Chikwe – former Minister of Aviation
*
Sebastian Okechukwu Mezu – 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 Scho ...
- Judge, International Court of Criminal Justice, Hague
*
Evan Enwerem – former governor and former President of the Senate
*
Emeka Ihedioha - 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 M ...
– former INEC chairman
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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 S ...
– politician and businessman
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Prince Eze Madumere - former Deputy Governor
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K. O. Mbadiwe – former Minister of Commerce and Industry
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Sam Mbakwe – former Governor
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Henry Nwawuba - Politician and Entrepreneur
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Raymond Njoku – former Minister of Transportation
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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
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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 (P ...
– former Senator Orlu Zone, Member of the Senate of Nigeria in the 4th National Assembly (1999-2003)
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Walter Ofonagoro – former Minister of Information and Culture
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Ikedi Ohakim – former governor
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Chris Okewulonu – Chief of Staff
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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
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Fabian Osuji – former Minister of Education
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Ugonna Ozurigbo – Deputy Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly (2015–), and Member
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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. Uden ...
– former Governor
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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 governo ...
- Governor of Imo state
Other
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Adiele Afigbo – historian
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Michael Echeruo – academic and writer in Igbo studies
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Nenny B – media personality
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Evelyn Okere – Nigerian businesswoman, publisher, fashion designer
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Odumeje — Clergyman.
References
External links
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{{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