Imo State

Imo State State nickname: Eastern Heartland
Location
Statistics
Governor (List)	Ikedi Godson Ohakim (PPA)
Date Created	February 3, 1976
Capital	Owerri
Area	5,530 km² Ranked 34th
Population 1991 Census 2005 est.	Ranked 13th 2,485,499 4,000,000
ISO 3166-2	NG-IM

Imo State is a state in Nigeria. It is located in the southeast region of the country, with Owerri as it capital and largest city. Ikedi Godson Ohakim is the current governor.

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.

Geography and natural resources

Besides Owerri, Imo State's major towns are Isu, Okigwe, Oguta, Orlu, Mbaise, Emekuku (Emekē Ukwu), Orodo, Orsu. The state is rich in crude oil, natural gas and fertile, arable agricultural land.

Local Government Areas

Imo State is made up of twenty-seven Local Government Areas:

Aboh Mbaise Ahiazu Mbaise Ehime Mbano Ezinihitte Mbaise Ideato North Ideato South Ihite Uboma Ikeduru Isiala Mbano

Isu Mbaitolu Ngor Okpuala Njaba Nkwerre Nwangele Obowo Oguta Ohaji Egbema

Okigwe Orlu Orsu Oru East Oru West Owerri Municipal Owerri North Owerri West Onuimo

Demographics

Imo is a predominantly Igbo speaking state, with Igbo people constituting a majority.

Prominent People

Prominent people from Imo State include:

• ¨Ugochukwu Nwokeleme - Statistician

• Uzodinma Okoroanyanwu - Member of Advanced Micro Devices
• Chidi Njemanze - Inventor of the Intelligent Transcranial Doppler Probe
• Jeremiah Okoro - Electrical and Computer Engineer
• Austin Okere - Computer Engineer in cooperation with Dell
• Anthony Onuoha - Electrochemical Engineer
• Ezekiel Izuogu - Inventor of Izuogu Z-600
• Damian Anyanwu - Inventor of a Voltaic Cell
• Augustine Njoku-Obi - Developer of Cholera Vaccine
• Leo Stan Ekeh - Founder and CEO of Zinox Technologies
• Ethelbert Chukwu - Mathematician
• Michael Echeruo - Titan of Academic Igbo Studies
• Adiele E. Afigbo - Distinguished Historian
• Chikezie V. Uchendu - Classical Anthropologist
• Donatus Ibeakwadalam Nwoga - Philospher
• Felicia Ekejiuba - Distinguished Professor
• Obianuju Catherine Acholonu - Critically Acclaimed Author
• Ralph Uwazuruike - MASSOB Leader
• K. O. Mbadiwe - Former Minister of Commerce and Industry
• Evan Enwerem - Former governor and former President of the Senate
• Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu - Politician and Businessman
• Pats Acholonu - Supreme Court Justice
• Sam Mbakwe - Former Governor
• Simeon Ekpe - Former Chief Judge
• Sylvester Ugoh - Former Minister of Science and Technology
• Patrick Ibeakamma Acholonu - Senator and the Igwe X of Orlu
• Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala - Former World Bank Vice President
• Christina Anyanwu - Journalist and Senator
• Frank Nneji - Founder of ABC Transport
• Onyeka Onwenu - Singer and Actress
• Genevieve Nnaji - Nollywood Actress
• Romanus Obioma Amanze - Roman Catholic Priest
• Collins E. Ijoma - The first youngest U.S. Trial Court Administrator.
• Chika Sylva-Olejeme - President of the International Peace Institute
• Ezebuiro Obinna - Highlife Musician
• Chioma Ajunwa - 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist
• Dick Tiger - Former World Middle Weight Boxing Champion
• Nwankwo Kanu - Soccer player and founder of Kanu Heart Foundation

External links

• Imo State Official Web Site