Imo River

The Imo River (Igbo: Mmiri Imo) is in southeastern Nigeria and flows 240 kilometres (150 mi) 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 means Wealth). Its estuary is around 40 kilometres (25 mi) wide,[3] and the river has an annual discharge of 4 cubic kilometres (1.0 cu mi)[4] with 26,000 hectares of wetland.[5] The Imo's tributary Rivers are the Otamiri and Oramirukwa.[6] The Imo was cleared under the British colonial administration of Nigeria in 1907–1908 and 1911; first to Aba and then to Udo near Umuahia.[7]

Imo River
Mmiri Imo
EtymologyNamed after the Imo Mmiri alusi
Location
CountryNigeria
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationOkigwe, Imo State
 • coordinates5°50′56″N 7°14′20″W[1]
MouthAtlantic Ocean
 • location
Eastern Obolo, Akwa Ibom State
 • coordinates
4°28′14″N 7°35′38″W
 • elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Length150 mi (240 km)[2]

The deity, or Alusi of the river is the female Imo Mmiri who communities surrounding the river believe to be the owner of the river. Mmiri in Igbo language means water or rain. A festival for the Alusi is held annually between May and July.[8] The Imo River features an 830-metre (2,720 ft) bridge at the crossing between Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State.[9]

References
  1. Afigbo, Adiele Eberechukwu (2005). Toyin Falola (ed.). Nigerian history, politics and affairs: the collected essays of Adiele Afigbo. Africa World Press. p. 95. ISBN 1-59221-324-3.
  2. McNally, Rand (1980). Encyclopedia of World Rivers. Rand McNally. p. 14.
  3. Institut français d'Afrique noire (1976). Bulletin de l'Institut français d'Afrique noire. Niger Delta: IFAN. p. 29.
  4. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Land and Water Development Division (1997). Irrigation potential in Africa. Food & Agriculture Org. p. 92. ISBN 92-5-103966-6.
  5. Russell, Nathan C. (1993). Sustainable Food Production in Sub-Saharan Africa: Constraints and opportunities. IITA. p. 57. ISBN 978-131-096-0.
  6. Simmers, Ian (1988). NATO (ed.). Estimation of natural groundwater recharge. Springer. p. 436. ISBN 90-277-2632-9.
  7. Chuku, Gloria (2005). Igbo women and economic transformation in southeastern Nigeria, 1900-1960. Routledge. p. 152. ISBN 0-415-97210-8.
  8. Uzor, Peter Chiehiụra (2004). The traditional African concept of God and the Christian concept of God. Peter Lang. p. 310. ISBN 3-631-52145-6.
  9. The Report: Nigeria 2010. Oxford Business Group. p. 213. ISBN 1-907065-14-8.


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