Harold Morday Douglas (1874–1920) was officially appointed as the first District Commissioner of Owerri Province on May 10, 1902. He was not only feared but widely hated. Douglas ruled with absolute authority and tolerated no dissent.
Chiefs who resisted his orders were stripped naked, publicly flogged, and imprisoned. Many individuals who were sent to prison under his administration never returned. Despite his reputation, the well-known Douglas Road in Owerri bears his name, and the residence of the Governor of Imo State is also referred to as Douglas Road.
During their first visit to Owerri, Archdeacon Dennis and his team declined Douglas’s offer of accommodation in the government house, choosing instead to stay among the local population.