UCCYMEGAWORLD: IMO STATE AND ITS ENVIRONS (Introduction, Location, River and Lakes, Natural Resources, Oil and Gas Exploration, Trade and Investment Opportunities, Agriculture, Climate, History, Government, Ministries, Language, LGA, Demographics, Education and Notable People)

Introduction

Imo is one of the 36 states of Nigeria and lies in the South East of Nigeria with Owerri as its capital and largest city. Located in the south-eastern region of Nigeria, it occupies the area between the lower River Niger and the upper and middle Imo River.

Location

Imo State is bordered by Abia State on the East, River Niger and Delta State to the West, Anambra State on the North and Rivers State 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. The main cities in Imo State are Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe.

Rivers and Lakes

The Orashi River has its source in Imo State. Imo River, being the major river in the State, drains through Abia State, where it is joined by Aba River from the North, and Akwa Ibom State into the Atlantic Ocean. There are Njaba River, Oguta Lake, Utu River and Awbana River in the State. Otamiri River and its 9.2 km length tributary, Nworie River flow in the State.

There are other rivers and creeks in the state including Onas Creek in Ohaji/Egbema, Okitankwo River in Umudi, and Ohia and Efuru Rivers in Okigwe.

Natural Resources

The state is rich in natural resources including crude oil, natural gas, lead and zinc.

Economically exploitable flora including iroko, mahogany, obeche, bamboo, rubber tree and oil palm predominate. Other natural resources found in the State are white clay, fine sand and limestone.

Besides Owerri, Imo State's major towns are Isu, Okigwe, Oguta, Orlu,Atta Ikeduru, Akokwa, Mbaise, Mbaitoli, Mbieri, Orodo, Nkwerre, Ubulu, Ngor Okpala, Omuma, Mgbidi, Awo-Omamma, Izombe and Orsu.

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 and Agip. Some of the established oil-rich and producing Local Government Councils include Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, Oru East, Oru West, Obowo and Ngor Okpala.

Trade and Investment Opportunities

Many trade and investment opportunities abound in the peaceful State including Oil and Gas Exploration, Chemical Plants, Brewery Plants, Hydroelectricity and Gas-Fired Power Plants, Grain Milling, Starch Production, Cashew Product Industry, Fruit and Vegetable Juice Concentrate Production, Integrated Multi-Oil Seeds Processing Plant, Ceramic Industry, Inland Waterway Transport, Integrated Palm Produce Industry et al.

In addition to presence of oil and gas investors, independent global brewer, Heineken through its subsidiary Nigerian Breweries has significant investment in Imo State. The company manages the world-class Awo-omamma Brewery, a multiple-line brewery plant.

Many more opportunities in oil and gas are yet to be fully exploited. The Federal Government has been called to inspect newly discovered oil-rich council areas for possible exploration in order to increase the presence of the federal government in the State and the region, which would enable economic development and job creation.

Establishment of 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. No doubt, production centers would employ large number of labor.

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

The economy of the State depends primarily on agriculture and commerce. The chief occupation of the people is farming. However, with a high population density and over farming the soil has been degraded and much of the native vegetation has disappeared. Their cash crops include oil palm, raffia palm, rice, groundnut, melon, cotton, cocoa, rubber, maize, etc. food crops such as yam, cassava, cocoyam and maize are also produced in large quantities.

Climate

The rainy season begins in April and lasts until October with annual rainfall varying from 1,500mm to 2,200mm (60 to 80 inches).

An average annual temperature above 20 °C (68.0 °F) creates an annual relative humidity of 75%. With humidity reaching 90% in the rainy season. The dry season 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 has disappeared.

This deforestation 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 Muhammad, having been previously part of East-Central State. The state is named after the Imo River. Part of it was split off in 1991 as Abia State, and another part became Ebonyi State. Imo state was created at Ngwoma and the meetings for the state creation which began after the Nigerian Civil War ended in 1970 were chaired by Chief S. E. Onukogu.

Government

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

Name	Title	Took Office	Left Office	Party
Ndubuisi Kanu	Governor	Mar 1976	1977	(Military)
Adekunle Lawal	Governor	1977	Jul 1978	(Military)
Sunday Ajibade Adenihun	Governor	Jul 1978	Oct 1979	(Military)
Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe	Governor	1 Oct 1979	31 Dec 1983	NPP
Ike Nwachukwu	Governor	Jan 1984	Aug 1985	(Military)
Allison Amakoduna Madueke	Governor	Aug 1985	1986	(Military)
Amadi Ikwechegh	Governor	1986	1990	(Military)
Anthony E. Oguguo	Governor	Aug 1990	Jan 1992	(Military)
Evan Enwerem	Governor	Jan 1992	Nov 1993	NRC
James N.J. Aneke	Administrator	9 Dec 1993	22 Aug 1996	(Military)
Tanko Zubairu	Administrator	22 Aug 1996	May 1999	(Military)
Achike Udenwa	Governor	29 May 1999	29 May 2007	PDP
Ikedi G. Ohakim	Governor	29 May 2007	29 May 2011	PPA / PDP
Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha	Governor	29 May 2011	To Date	APC

The legislative arm is headed by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly who is currently speaker Rt. Hon. Ihenacho Ihim and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo. 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 customary court of appeal and is headed by the Chief Judge of the state.

Ministries

Justice
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Education
Health
Commerce
Industry and Tourism
Finance
Works and Transport
Youths and Sports
Women Affairs
Internal Resources and Pension Matters
Local Government and Rural Development

Language

English and Igbo

Local Government Areas

Imo State consists of twenty-seven (27) Local Government Areas. They are:

Aboh Mbaise Ahiazu Mbaise Ehime Mbano Ezinihitte Mbaise
Ideato North Ideato South Ihitte/Uboma Ikeduru
Isiala Mbano Isu Mbaitoli Ngor Okpala
Njaba Nkwerre Nwangele Obowo
Oguta Ohaji/Egbema Okigwe Onuimo
Orlu Orsu Oru East Oru West
Owerri Municipal Owerri North Owerri West

Demographics

The state is over 4.8 million people and the population density varies from 230–1,400 people per square kilometre. Christianity is the predominant religion.

In addition to English being official language, Imo state is a predominantly Igbo speaking state, with Igbo people constituting a majority of 98%.

Education

There are several institutions of higher learning including state and federal government run institutions. They are as follows:

NOTABLE PEOPLE

Sports

Uzoma Okeke - Canadian Football League Hall of Famer
Chioma Ajunwa – 1996 Olympic gold long jumper
Nwankwo Kanu – National footballer
Emmanuel Amunike – 1994 African Player of the Year and Olympic-winning soccer star
Samuel Okwaraji – was a National Footballer (19 May 1964 – 12 August 1989)
Prince Amukamara – Cornerback for the New York Giants
Kelechi Iheanacho – Striker for Manchester City, U-17 World Cup winner and tournament's MVP (2013)
Nze Amanze -althlete for federal university of technology owerri

Arts

Alban Uzoma Nwapa – Eurodance musician
Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna – Highlife musician
Genevieve Nnaji – Nollywood actress
John Munonye – Author
Judith Chichi Opara Mazagwu - Nigerian actress, musician and businesswoman
Kanayo O. Kanayo- Actor
Clem Ohameze- Actor
Obianuju Catherine Acholonu – Author
Onyeka Nwelue- Author, scholar, actor, entrepreneur
Onyeka Onwenu – Singer, actress and politician
Osita Iheme – Actor
Florence Anaele- Academia
Rita Dominic, Nigerian actress
Stephanie Okereke- Actress

Politics

Professor (Mrs) Viola Adaku Onwuliri, Former Supervising Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Education
Pats Acholonu – Supreme Court Justice
Professor Edward Oparaoji, Prime Mover, NADECO USA & Renowned Human Rights Activist
Christina Anyanwu – journalist and senator
Kema Chikwe – former Minister of Aviation
Evan Enwerem – former governor and former President of the Senate
Ikedi Ohakim – former governor
Rochas Okorocha – present governor
Collins E. Ijoma – the youngest US Trial Court Administrator
Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu – politician and businessman
K. O. Mbadiwe – former Minister of Commerce and Industry
Sam Mbakwe – former Governor
Fabian Osuji – former Minister of Education
Achike Udenwa – former Governor
Maurice Iwu – former INEC chairman
Sir Jude Ejiogu – Chief of Staff
Chinwe Obaji – Professor and former Minister of Education
Chief S. E. Onukogu - Former Minister Eastern Region & Delegate to London Constitutional Convention
Raymond Njoku - Former Minister of Transportation
Ifeanyi Araraume- Former Senator

Other

Late Professor Celestine O.E. Onwuliri, former Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO)
Evelyn Okere – Nigerian businesswoman, publisher, fashion designer and the organizer of the St. Eve West African Fashion Week.
Leo Stan Ekeh – founder and CEO of Zinox Technologies
Adiele Afigbo – historian
Michael Echeruo – academic and writer in Igbo studies
Okonkwo Chibuike III – Infrastructure and Trade Professional
Ukachukwu Okorie - Writer, Editor AfricaWorld News Dublin, Ireland
Sebastian Okechukwu Mezu, Ph.D – Writer, Scholar, Philanthropist and Publisher. Founder, Black Academy Press, Buffalo, New York.
Alagwu Dominic - Formal Chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Imo State, Philanthropist, Proprietor of Alagwu Technical College.
Okey Ikoro - Industrialist and CEO of Camela Vegetable Oil Company Limited and Gateway Industries Limited
Late Professor Kevin Eletuwa Ihejirika, Foremost Orthopaedic Surgeon and Academician of repute.

References

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  "C-GIDD (Canback Global Income Distribution Database)". Caeeeanback Dangel. Retrieved 20 August 2008.

  Vanguard, Nigeria (June 2, 2015). "Exploring the resource control option – Imo State, by Futureview CEO, Elizabeth Ebi". vanguardngr.com. Retrieved November 30, 2015.

  "About Imo State". Imo State, Nigeria: Imo State Government. Retrieved 27 July 2010.

  Okoro, B.C.; et al. (2014). "River Basins of Imo State for Sustainable Water Resources Management" (PDF). Civil & Environmental Engineering (4.1). Retrieved January 16, 2016.

  Cosmas Ahamefule Ahiarakwem; et al. (2012). "Water Quality Monitoring of a Tropical Lake and Associated Rivers: A Case Study of Oguta Lake and Its Tributaries, Niger Delta Basin, Southeastern Nigeria" (PDF). Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering. p. 1. Retrieved January 16, 2016.

  "Industries in Imo State". Imo State, Nigeria: Imo State Government. Retrieved 27 July 2010.

  Vanguard, Nigeria (March 14, 2014). "Imo Govt discovers more crude oil". vanguardngr.com. Retrieved November 30, 2015.

  "HEINEKEN majority owned subsidiaries Nigerian Breweries plc and Consolidated Breweries plc to merge". www.theheinekencompany.com. May 9, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2016.

  "Nigerian Breweries invests N3bn in Awo-Omamma, N18bn in Aba Breweries". beverageindustrynews.com.ng. December 8, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2016.

  Vanguard, Nigeria (March 14, 2014). "Imo Govt discovers more crude oil". vanguardngr.com. Retrieved January 16, 2016.

  "Niger Delta Region Land and People" (PDF). www.nddc.gov.ng. Federal Republic of Nigeria. Retrieved January 16, 2016.

  Wordtravels.com

  "Regions Used to Interpret the Complexity of Nigeria". Geographical Alliance of Iowa. University of Northern Iowa. Retrieved 19 July 2007.

  Africatalksclimate.com

  Allafrica.com

  "Physical Setting: Imo State". OnlineNigeria.com. Devace Nigeria. Retrieved 13 August 2007.

  http://www.facebook.com/officialugonnaozurigbo

  Onlinenigeria.com

  "Local Government Organization in Imo State". Library of Congress Pamphlet Collection – Flickr. Retrieved 11 May 2014.