History of Imo State Nigeria

Imo State was named after Imo River. The creation of this State was decided at the famous Ngowoma meeting and it began after the civil war ended in 1970. February 3rd, 1976 was when Imo State was created under the leadership of the military ruler of Nigeria, Murtala Mohammed. Imo State capital is Owerri the largest city in the state. The state is also referred as the Eastern Heartland but was formerly the land of hope. This State is part of the east- central State.  Part of Imo State was carried off to Abia State and Ebonyi State. Their king or traditional ruler is usually referred to as Eze.

SEE ALSO>>>History of Ekiti State<<<

Imo State shares boundaries with Abia State and Ebonyi State, in the east, River Niger and Delta State is to the West, Anambra state to the North and River state to the South. The State lies within latitude of 4⁰45N and 7⁰15N and longitude 6⁰50’E’ and 7⁰25’E’ with an area mass of about 5,100sqkm.

Ethnic Groups in Imo State

Imo State is an Igbo speaking State with little difference in dialects over the area and English Language. The state is rich in cultural heritage such as dressing, music, festival, lifestyle, dancing and crafts work.  Majority of the people are Christians of different denomination but mostly Catholicism and some traditional religion.

Local Government Areas in Imo State

Imo State has twenty-seven Local government Areas, namely

Aboh-Mbaise  Ahiazu-Mbano           Ehime-Mbano

Ezinihitte         Ideato North               Ideato South

Onuimo           Ohaji/Egbem               Owerri Municipal

Oguta              Owerri West                Owerri North

Isu                   Oru West                     Oru East

Okigwe           Mbaitoli                       Ngor-Okpala              

Ikechuru          IsialaMbano                Ihitte/Uboma

Njaba               Nwagele                      Nkwere

Obowo             Orlu                             Orsu

Map of Imo State

This map represents all the 27 local government areas in Imo state.

Map of Imo State
Map of Imo State

Wards in Imo State

Imo State has 305 Wards. They include;

 AAbajah Ward l, Abajah Ward lI, Abba Ward, Aboh/okohia, Abueke, Afara/eziama, Agbaja, Agbaja/obube/ulakwo, Agbobu, Aji, Akabo, Akata, Akpulu, Aku, Akuma, AkwuOwerre, Aladinma l, Aladinma lI, Alike, Amafuo, Amagu, Amaifeke, AmaikeMbieri, Amaimo, Amainyi, Amaju Community Ward (amaigbo lII), Amakohia, Amakohia, Amakohia-ubi/ndegwuohii, Amala/alulu/oburu/obokwe/ntu, Amamnaisi (amaigbo lV), Amanator/umueshi, Amandugba l, Amandugbali, Amano/umudrumba Ward (amaigbo l), Amanze/umungwa, Amaokpara, Amaraku, Amaruru, Amatta, Amauzari, Amiri l, Amiri II, Amucha l, Amucha II, Amumara, AmurieOmanze l, AmurieOmanze II, Amuro, Amuzi, Amuzi/ ihenworie, Amuzu, Assa/obile, AssahUbiri Elem, Atonerim, Atta l, Atta l, Atta II, Atta II, Atta III, Avu/oforoia, Avutu, Avuvu, Awa, Awaka/ihitte-ogada, Awara/ikwerede, Awo-omamma l, Awo-omamma II, Awo-omamma III, Awo-omamma IV, Awuchinuwo, Azuzi l, Azuzi II, Azuzi III, Azuzi IV
C,D, EChokoneze/akpodim/ife, Dikenafai, Dim-na Nume, Dimneze, Ebenator, Ebenese /umueze/nnachi ihioma, Egbema ‘a’, Egbema ‘b’, Egbema ‘c’, Egbema ‘d’,Egbema ‘e’, Egbu, Egwe/egbuoma, Ehume, Ekwe l, Ekwe II, Ekwuato, Elelem/obike, Emeabiam/okolochi, Emekuku l, Emekuku II, Emii, Enyiogugu, Ezelu, Ezemazu/ozu, Ezebolo/ofeahia/duruoha/umukabia (amaigbo Ward v), Ezizachi/amike,Eziama, Eziama/okpala, Eziama Obaire, Eziawa, Ezinachi, Ezinihitie Mbieri, Eziobodo, Eziudo
G,I, KGra, Ibeku, Ibeme, Ibiaso Egbe, Ifakala, Ihiagwa, IhiteOwerri, Ihitenansa, Ihtta-oha, Ihitte, Iho, Ihube, Ikenegbu l, Ikenegbu II, Ikperejere, Imerienwe, Inyishi/umudim, Irete/orogwe, Isiekenesi l, Isiekenesi II, Isiokpo, Isu Njaba III, Isu-njaba l, Isu-njaba II, Itu, Izombe, Izuogu l, Izuogu II, Kara-na-orlu
L,M,NLagwa, Logara/umuohiagu, Lorji, Mbala/uba, Mbutu, Mgbidi l, Mgbidi III, Mpam, Naze, Ndeuloukwu/umuowere, Ndiiheme Arondizuogu, Ndimoko, Ndimoko,  Ofeimo/ibinta/ okanachi/ umuowaibu, Nekede, Nempi/elem, New Owerri l, New Owerri II, Ngor/ihitte/umukabia, Ngugo/ikembara, Nguru-ahiato, Nguru-nweke, Nguru-nwenkwo, Nguru/umuowa, Nkume, Nkwerre IV (umunuboumunachi), Nkwerre V, Nnanano (nkwerrre II), Nnarambia, Nus ‘a’ ikpe, Nus ‘b’ ihitte, Ntueke, Nzerem/ikpem
OObiangwu, Obibi-uratta l, Obibi-uratta II, Obibiezena, Obinze, Obiohia, Obitti/mgbishi, Oboama/umunama, Obodoukwu, Obohia/ekwereazu, Obollo, Obudi/aro, Odenkume/umuosochie, Ofeahia/umunanumeze, Ogbaku, Ogbe, Ogberuru/obibi, Ogboko l, Ogboko II,  Ogbor, Ogbor/umueze, Ogii, Oguta ‘a’, Oguta ‘b’, Ogwa l, Ogwa II, Ohafor/okporo/umutanze, Ohakpu, OhekelemNnorie, Ohoba, Okaeke/okporo, Okata, Okenalogho, Okigwe l, Okigwe II, OkirikaNweke, OkirikaNwenkwo, Okpofe / Ezeagbogu, Okuku, Okwelle l, Okwellw II, OkwuaBala/ ihioma, Okwuamaraihie l, Okwuamaraihie II, Okwudor, Okwuetiti, Okwufuruaku, Okwuohia, Omuma, Onicha l, Onicha II, Onicha III, Onicha IV, Onusa, Oparanadim, Orji, Orlu/mgbee/orlu Government Station, Orodo ‘a’, Orodo ‘b’, Orsuihiteukwa, Oru, Oru-na-lude, Osina, Ossemotor/ enuigbo, Osu-achara, Osu-owerre l, Osu – owerre II, Osuama/anara, Otulu, Otulu/aguneze, OwerreNkworji l, OwerreNkworji II, Owerre-okwe, OwerreEbeiri, Ozara, Ozimo / Umuneze, Ozuakoki/umuago, Ozuzu
UUbomiri, Ubulu, Udo-na-obizi, Ugbelle, Ugiri/oka, okwu/Eziama, Umuagwo, Umuaka l, Umuaka II, Umuaka III, Umuaka IV, Umuakam/umuago, Umualumaku/umuihm, Umualumuoke, Umuanu Community Ward (amaigbo II), Umuapu, Umuariam/achara, Umucheke, Umuchima, Umudi/umuwala, Umudioka, Umueze l, Umueze li/umueleke, Umuezegwu, Umuezeala, Umuguma, Umuhu, Umuhu, Umuhuokabia, Umuihi, Umukabia, Umukor (nkwerre III), Umulolo, Umumalsiaku, Umuna, Umuna, Umunachi, Umunnakanu l, Umunndugba III, Umunkwo, Umunnoha/azara, Umunumo, Umunnumo/umuchieze, Umunwoha/mberi/umuawu, Umuobom, Umuokwara/umuezeaga, Umuopia/umukegwu, Umuozu, Umuozu Ward, Umuzike/umuowa, Uvuru l, Uvuru II, Uwaoire, Uzil/umualoma, Uzoagba

Population of Imo State 2019/2020

2006 national Population census reported, the population of imo state to be 3,934,899.

Males = 1,976,471 and Females = 1,951,092

Imo State has an area of 5,530km²; it is the third smallest state in Nigeria.

Major Cities in Imo State

There are sixteen major cities in Imo State. These include;

Okigwe     Orlu

Mbaise       Nkwerre

Oguta        Owerri

Mbaano     Ezinihite Mbieri

Ideato        Awo-Idemili

Ohaji         Obowo

Ikeduru     Ngor-okpala

Uzoagbu    Mgbidi

The Government in Imo state

Imo State government is divided into three arms, namely;

  • The Executive Arm of Imo State

The executive arm of Imo state government is headed by the elected governor of the State, assisted by those he appoints to work with Him in the State government. ROCHAS ANAYO OKOROCHA is the current governor of Imo State.

  • The Legislative Arm of Imo State

The legislative arm convenes at the Imo State Assembly in Owerri the capital of Imo State. This comprises of 27 members elected by the people of the 27 constituencies of Imo State. IHIM IHEANACHO is the speaker of the Imo State Assembly.

  • The Judicial Arm in Imo State

This arm is headed by the chief judge of the State, PASCHAL NNADI is the current judge of the State

Economy of Imo State

Imo state is blessed with abundance of natural resources, such as crude oil, lead zinc, white clay, fine sand   lime stone and natural gas in commercial quantities. The agricultural  produce such as yam, cassava, palm oil,   cocoa, and rubber. Professional and entrepreneurs, famous artist, and Actors /Actress also abound in this State.

Art works, metal work and various types of fabrication, are produced in the state. The Mbari cultural center at Owerri, Eke Nguru in Aboh Mbaise and Igwekala  Shirine in Umunoha are traditional arts and craft centers that display the culture and heritage of the Imo state.

This State has industries, Enterprises, Pharmaceuticals Company, Sub Spare parts, and mostly hotels, like concord hotel.

Interesting Places to Visit in Imo State

Imo state has many traditional festivals in each community, and different styles of festival to celebrate and honor the ancient deities to mark an important event in the history of the State. There are different types of Festival, the most popular one is the Ahiajoku festival, it is observed in all farming communities. It also has traditional music and dance which includes Abliogbo, Ekpe, Ikoro, Okonoko and Mmanwm.

Zones in Imo State

There are three senatorial districts zones in Imo State, the twenty seven local government areas are grouped into the three zones, namely:

Imo East Senatorial District

This has a total number of nine local government areas under it.

Imo West Senatorial District

This has the largest number of local Government areas group in it.

Imo North Senatorial District

This has the smallest number of Local Government areas group.

Senatorial ZonesLGAs
Imo West Ideato North, Ideato South, Isu, Nwangle, Nkwerre, Njaba, Oguta, Orsu, Ohaji/ Egbema, Orlu, Oru East, Oru East
Imo North Ehime Mbano, Onuimo, Ihite/uboma, Okigwe, Isiala Mbano, Obowo

 

Imo East Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise, Ezinihitte Mbaise, Ikeduru, Mbaitoli, Ngor-Okpala, Owerri Muncipal, Owerri North, Owerri West

READ ALSO>>>History of Delta State<<<

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