Imo River

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Coordinates: 4°28′14″N 7°35′38″W / 4.47056°N 7.59389°W / 4.47056; -7.59389
Imo River
Imo Mmiri
Name origin: Named after the Imo Mmiri alusi
Country Nigeria
Source
 - location Okigwe, Imo State
 - coordinates 5°50′56″N 7°14′20″W / 5.84889°N 7.23889°W / 5.84889; -7.23889 [1]
Mouth Atlantic Ocean
 - location Eastern Obolo, Akwa Ibom State
 - elevation 0 ft (0 m)
 - coordinates 4°28′14″N 7°35′38″W / 4.47056°N 7.59389°W / 4.47056; -7.59389
Length 150 mi (241 km) [2]

The Imo River (Igbo: Imo Mmiri) is located in southeastern Nigeria and flows 150 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Its estuary is around 40km wide,[3] and the river has an annual discharge of 4km3[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]

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. A festival for the Alusi is held annually between May and July.[8] The Imo River features an 830 meter bridge at the crossing between Rivers State and Akwa Ibom.[9]

References

Notes:

  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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