Imo River
{{Infobox river
| name = Imo River
Imo
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| name_etymology = Named after the Imo alusi
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| image_caption = Imo river from the top of road bridge that lead to Umuahia in Abia state
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| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = Nigeria
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| length_mi = 150
| length_ref = {{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of World Rivers |first=Rand |last=McNally |page=14 |publisher=Rand McNally |year=1980}}
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| source1 =
| source1_location = Okigwe, Imo State
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|5|50|56|N|7|14|20|W|display=inline}}{{cite book|title=Nigerian history, politics and affairs: the collected essays of Adiele Afigbo |first1=Adiele Eberechukwu |last1=Afigbo |editor=Toyin Falola |page=95 |publisher=Africa World Press |year=2005 |isbn=1-59221-324-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ez58Dwpa8JcC&pg=PA95}}
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| mouth = Atlantic Ocean
| mouth_location = Eastern Obolo, Akwa Ibom State
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|4|28|14|N|7|35|38|W|display=inline,title}}
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The Imo River (Igbo:Imo) is located in southeastern Nigeria and flows {{convert|150|mi|km|disp=flip}} 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 ({{langx|ibb|Inyang}} means river or ocean, and {{lang|ibb|Imoh}} means wealth). Its estuary is around {{convert|40|km|mi}} wide,{{cite book|title=Bulletin de l'Institut français d'Afrique noire |author=Institut français d'Afrique noire |page=29 |location=Niger Delta |publisher=IFAN |year=1976}} and the river has an annual discharge of {{convert|4|km3|mi3|1}}{{Cite book|title=Irrigation potential in Africa |author=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Land and Water Development Division |page=92 |publisher=Food & Agriculture Org |year=1997 |isbn=92-5-103966-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VzqBfdeSjgQC&pg=PA92}} with 26,000 hectares of wetland.{{cite book|title=Sustainable Food Production in Sub-Saharan Africa: Constraints and opportunities |first=Nathan C. |last=Russell |page=57 |publisher=IITA |year=1993 |isbn=978-131-096-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XuXK2VofYKsC&pg=PA57}}{{Cite web |title=Nigerian rivers among top 20 polluting rivers - Daily Trust |url=https://dailytrust.com/nigerian-rivers-among-top-20-polluting-rivers/ |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=dailytrust.com}} The Imo's tributary rivers are the Otamiri and Oramirukwa.{{Cite book|title=Estimation of natural groundwater recharge |first=Ian |last=Simmers |page=436 |editor=NATO |editor-link=NATO |publisher=Springer |year=1988 |isbn=90-277-2632-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W0uvL96OaMoC&pg=PA436}} 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.{{cite book|title=Igbo women and economic transformation in southeastern Nigeria, 1900-1960 |first=Gloria |last=Chuku |page=152 |publisher=Routledge |year=2005 |isbn=0-415-97210-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z3jouPZxPC4C&pg=PA152}}
The deity, or Alusi of the river is the female Imo who communities surrounding the river believe to be the owner of the river. Mmiri in Ibo or Igbo language means water or rain. File:Imo river (1).jpg A festival for the Alusi is held annually between May and July.{{cite book|title=The traditional African concept of God and the Christian concept of God |first=Peter Chiehiụra |last=Uzor |page=310 |publisher=Peter Lang |year=2004 |isbn=3-631-52145-6}} The Imo River features an {{convert|830|m|ft|adj=on}} bridge at the crossing between Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State.{{cite book|title=The Report: Nigeria 2010 |page=213 |publisher=Oxford Business Group |isbn=1-907065-14-8}} The river god, or Arushi, is a female imo, and the communities surrounding the river believe her to be the river's owner.
Imo river was reported by the world Health Organization as one of the most polluted rivers in Nigeria.{{Cite web |last=Sesan |date=2017-12-16 |title=Nigeria’s perilous pollution indices |url=https://punchng.com/nigerias-perilous-pollution-indices/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}}
Pollution
The river has been said to have coliform bacteria, which makes it unsafe for human consumption.
The major supply of drinkable water for Owerri, the Otamiri River, may dry up if people of the state's capital city continue to pollute it, according to a warning from Imo State Water and Sewerage Corporation.
The General Manager (GM), Emeka Ugoanyanwu, said over the weekend that locals should not dispose of trash, urinate, bury the dead, and build soak-away pits along the river.
A project to deliver clean water to Imo residents will also get underway by January, according to the World Bank. Three monarchs from five autonomous communities in the Owerri municipality were present for a roundtable discussion hosted by the Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development when Ugoanyanwu made this announcement. He regretted that the city's pipes had been destroyed during the Urban Renewal program of the previous governor Rochas Okorocha's government, making it difficult for tap water to run into the homes of different parts of the city.
References
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