Owerri Campaign
We’re back in Nigeria
Owerri is the capital city of Imo State in Nigeria. It was founded in the 14th century and has been populated ever since. Owerri was the last capital of the Republic of Biafra in 1969, before Biafra once again became part of Nigeria.
Population
There are about 1.4 million people in Owerri, living in an area of roughly 100 square kilometers. Over 90% of the people are Igbo, and speak Igbo, though English is the official language.
Industry
This used to be a subsistence farming area, and it is still a marketing hub for palm products, maize, yams and cassava. These days, the area is also known as “Heartland” and is famous for its many hotels, casinos and entertainment companies. Owerri sits at the crossroads of regional roads that link other major cities like Port Harcourt and Onitsha. Like many other places in Nigeria, Owerri sits atop vast reserves of oil and natural gas.
Christianity
Christianity only reached this region about one hundred years ago. There is a strong Catholic presence in the area, with many of the local people identifying as Catholic. There are also many Muslims living here, as well as people who continue to practise local traditional religions.
Weather
Owerri is a rain forest area, receiving an astonishing average rainfall of 2,219mm every year. Temperatures are warm to hot almost all year round, with an average temperature of 26,4 degrees Celsius.
