Owerri is the capital city of Imo State in Nigeria, set in the heart of Igboland. It is also the state's largest city, followed by Orlu, Okigwe and Ohaji/Egbema. Owerri consists of three Local Government Areas including Owerri Municipal, Owerri North and Owerri West, it has an estimated population of about 1,401,873 as of 2016 and is approximately 100 square kilometres (40 sq mi) in area. Owerri is bordered by the Otamiri River to the east and the Nworie River to the south. The Owerri Slogan is Heartland.
Umuahia is the capital city of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. Umuahia is located along the rail road that lies between Port Harcourt to its south,and Enugu city to its north. Umuahia has a population of 359,230 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. Umuahia is indigenously Igbo.
Okigwe is the third largest city in Imo state in Nigeria after Owerri and Orlu. Okigwe is located in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Nigeria. The city lies between the Port Harcourt-Enugu-Maiduguri rail line, being the nearest city to the biggest cattle market in Nigeria located in the Umu Nneochi Area of Abia state. Thus, the city has grown into a major cattle transit town for the southeast and south subregions of Nigeria. Okigwe has a population of 132,237. Most of the population is made up of immigrant workers from other states. Okigwe city was the primary host site of the old Imo State University. Okigwe has various tourist and historical sites. The Federal Government College in the city has remained one of the best unity schools in Nigeria. Okigwe remains one of the breadbaskets of Nigeria with terrace cultivation practised on its hilly farmlands. Okigwe also boasts many relaxation spots such as Alexandra Suites & Hotels Limited Okigwe Imo state which is situated at No 1 Alexandra Ave, Umuchima Road, Ubahu. St. Mary's Cathedral in Okigwe is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Okigwe. In 2016, the Imo state government recommissioned a new cattle market in the city in respect to the previous one that has been relocated to Abia.
Orlu is the second-largest city in South East, Imo State, Nigeria, with a population of 420,600. It has a long history as the headquarters for the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and humanitarian relief agencies during the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War. The city houses the Nigerian headquarters of the British Cheshire Home. It is the second most developed city after Owerri in Imo state.
Alayi Igboji-Akuru Community is a suburban town in the Bende local government area of Abia State, Nigeria. The Community consisted of four main clans of Akoliufu, Amankalu, Ugwueke and Ezeukwu. Alayi is one of the communities that make up Umunnato all in Bende LGC. It is about 100 kilometres (60 mi) from Aba, a commercial city of Eastern Nigeria, approximately 100 km (60 mi) from Owerri Airport, 32 km (20 mi) from Umuahia, the capital city of Abia State, 13 km (8 mi) from Uzuakoli, 11 km (7 mi) to Abiriba and 24 km (15 mi) to Ohafia. Alayi is divided into two sections, Akoliufu and Amankalu.
Egbu is a town in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo state in southern Nigeria, located on the Otamiri River near the city of Owerri. Egbu is among the brother clans in owerri known as "Ala Enyi" including; Ihitta Ogada, Awaka, Owerri Nchi Ise and Naze. Egbu is linked to other towns and villages by the Owerri–Umuahia road.
Umukabia is a village in the Ohuhu community of Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria. There are also several other villages in Nigeria with the same name. Umukabia comprises 3 small villages namely; Okpuala being the eldest, followed by Umuagbom and Azummiri. Within these 3 small villages are 6 compounds-For Okpuala, they comprise-Agbom Na Omurumba and Umu Eze Aguma. Azumiri is regarded as a single compound. In the case of Umuagbom, there are three compounds, namely, Umuezeocha, Ibeneze also Uhu Ukwu Na Ezegiri and Ukwu Udara. Noteworthy is that each of these compounds finds further sub-divisions, comprising family units, each headed by a patriarch, usually the oldest male member of that family unit. This oldest male is also regarded as the ultimate repository of the knowledge, cultures and traditions of the family unit and sometimes Umukabia as a whole. He performs all the rituals and ceremonies regarding the compound and seeks reciprocals with the ancestors through oracles and ritualizations. These elders or patriarchs constitute Umukabia's democratic dispensation and policy making unit, in that they collectively make and take decisions on behalf of the entire Umukabia community. Whatever decisions they make is binding across the village and even beyond to Diasporic sons and daughters of Umukabia. Umukabia's renowned market day is known as Orie Umukabia Orie. Umukabia has a major river known as Ikwu, which traverses the villages in Umuire, Umuegwu Okpula Former Eastern Nigeria Premier, Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara's village and flows into the famous Imo River basin Imo/Abia States, Nigeria.Legend has it that Umukabia sits on a large rock which has made it impossible for bore holes to be successfully dug in any part of the village for the purposes of extracting water. The village holds annual ceremonies known as Iri Ji festival and Ekpe festival which is termed as the village Christmas and holds on an Orie market day after Christmas but never on a Sunday.
Ejemekwuru is an Igbo-speaking community that sits in the North-Western part of Imo State in the southeastern region of Nigeria.
Obowo, also spelled Obowu is a Local Government Area in Imo State, Nigeria formed during the Ibrahim Babangida administration in May 1989. It was carved out of Etiti Local Government Area with its headquarters at Isi Nweke. There are twenty-two autonomous communities in Obowo Local Government Area. Achara, Amanze, Umuariam, Umunachi, Umuagu, Ehume, Umungwa, Umulogho, Odenkwume, Okwuohia, Amuzi, Alike, Avutu, Umuosochie and Umuoke are towns in the L.G.A. Obowo is located about 45 minutes from Owerri, across the Imo River and is less than 30 minutes from the Umuahia and Ahiara in opposite directions with the Amanze seven and a half (71/2) junction and landmark in-between. It is surrounded by Ahiazu and Aboh Mbaise Local Government Areas to the north and Umuahia Abia State to the East.
Igbere is a suburban town in Bende local government aArea of Abia State of the South-Eastern geopolitical region Nigeria. Also popularly known and referred to as the Igbere Ebiri, the town is the core "part of Old-Bende Division of the former Eastern Nigeria". The people of Igbere, relating to, or characteristic of Igbere or its inhabitants and heritage are called Igberian.
Ihiagwa is a town in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. It is located 12 km (7.5 mi) south of the capital city of Owerri. The township is composed of eight villages: Umuelem, Umuchima, Mboke, Nnkaramochie, Iriamogu, Aku/Umuokwo, Ibuzo and Umuezeawula. Ihiagwa has been divided into two autonomous communities, namely Ihiagwa Ancient Kingdom (Chimelem), comprising two villages: Umuelem and Umuchima;and Dindi-Ihiagwa, comprising the remaining six villages, all divisions done for administrative and developmental reasons. Each autonomous community is a monarchy ruled by an Eze.
Ikwuano is a Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in Isiala Oboro. The name 'Ikwuano' etymologically indicates that there are four different ancient kingdoms that make up the community called Ikwuano. These include Oboro, Ibere, Ariam/Usaka and Oloko.
Owerri Municipal is a Local Government Area in Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the city of Owerri. It has an area of 58 km² and a population of 127,213 according to the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 460. Owerri city sits at the intersection of roads from Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Aba, Orlu, Okigwe and Umuahia. It is also the trade center for palm products, corn [maize], yams and cassava [manioc]. Eke Ukwu Owere market is the main market in Owerri Municipal.
Ngwa people, an Igbo group in south eastern part of Nigeria. It's also the largest and most populous ethnic group in Abia state southeastern Nigeria. They occupy an area of about 1,328 square kilometres (513 sq mi), although some accounts read at least 2,300 km2. The current population is estimated to be 3 million. Within the seventeen local government areas of Abia State, Nigeria. Ngwa people occupy nine Local Government Areas which include: Aba North, Aba South, Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, Obi Ngwa, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East, Ukwa West. The Ngwa language spoken by over 3 million people in Aba North, Aba South, Osisioma, Obingwa, Ugwunagbo, Isiala Ngwa North and Isiala Ngwa South LGA's and Ngwa unique alphabets are endangered as there is no official documentation and parts of the artificial "Central Igbo" dialect are being substituted into Ngwa language by the younger generation.
Umuopara are a clan of the Igbo people of Umuahia Nigeria Which is one of the five Clans that make up the present day Umuahia. Umuopara lies on the western border of Abia with Imo State. The natural boundaries between the Umuopara of Umuahia Abia State and its Umungwa and Udo-Mbaise neighbours both in Imo state is the Imo River.
Ibeku is a chiefdom consisting of seven clans nestled in the hilly terrain of Umuahia, in the southeastern part of Nigeria. It is located in the present-day Umuahia North Local Government of Abia State, Nigeria. The people of Ibeku speak Igbo, one of the three dominant Nigerian languages. The neighbouring clans near Ibeku are interconnected by history and culture. To the South are the clans of Olokoro, Afor Ibeji, Amakama, Ubakala. To the East is Oboro. The clans of Umuokpara and Ohuhu are to the West, while Uzuakoli and Abiriba are to the North. These areas were once known as the Bende region of Eastern Nigeria.
Chioma Elizabeth Toplis is a Nigerian born actress in Nigeria's movie industry. She made her career debut in 2004 in the movie Stolen Bible alongside Kate Henshaw but gained prominence when she appeared in a lead role in a 2005 movie Trinity with several other prominent Nigerian actors She was remanded in prison due to a post she made.
Amawom is a town in Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. The name is derived from two words; Ama meaning location and Awom meaning farm. Amawom is believed to have been discovered in the 18th century. Awom Oboro and Ibeuzo Ukwu are the autonomous communities of Amawom. English and Igbo are the languages spoken in the town.
Oboro is the largest of four clans in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. It is bounded to the north by Ibeku and Bende clans, west by the Olokoro and Ngwa, east by Ibere and south by the Isuogu. Oboro was classified in the Ohuhu-Ngwa cluster of the Southern Igbo area by British anthropologists Forde and Jones. It is also one of 18 Igbo clans in the Old Bende Division of the defunct Owerri Province. The Oboro speak a common language with the other 17 clans of the Bende Division though dialectal variations exist. These clans share a history of inter-ethnic relations.
Ariam/Usaka is one of the four principal clans of Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria. Ariam/Usaka belongs to the Isuogu family. Ariam itself is made up of three subgroups namely; Ariam, Ekpiri and Usaka. This clan borders Ibere and Oboro to the north, Oloko to the west, as well as several Ibibio communities in Akwa Ibom State to its eastern and southern borders. Forde and Jones categorized the Isuogu family in the Ohuhu-Ngwa cluster of the Southern Igbo area.
Nigeria 64,000 (1962) [1] 