In order not to de-emphasise the floating nature of Douglas House, all metal columns that supported the building were deliberately left visible and the main front of the house remained completely undisturbed by the changes adumbrated above.

Altogether, the house underwent a well calculated transformation without losing its natural features and characteristics. Indeed, it maintained a charm peculiar to it that was rid of mere fashionable gimmicks and chi-chi extravaganza, while remaining a timeless antique that linked the Owerri of yesterday, today and tomorrow

In 2007, while I was in the United States of America on vacation, I read from the internet that Douglas House  was burnt. That day was a sad day indeed for me and I immediately wrote the then Governor of Imo State at the time suggesting its urgent skillful restoration. I said inter alia “considering its significance in the history of Imo state, I think something can and should be done to re-create Douglas House. Owerri. In this connection, I would suggest that, Arc. Chinedu Eke, who restored Douglas House beautifully, be commissioned to re-create the building as he not only worked on its restoration competently but in fact possesses all the data needed to re-create it and through his professional ingenuity, would Douglas House now dead and buried come back to life again. I remember vividly that in 1999  Arc. Chinedu Ekeh made available to me the photo of Douglas House ( I could not find it elsewhere including government sources) which I used for my work titled OWERE IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY which was published in 1999 to mark my 70th birthday. In his Foreword to the 252-page book, Prof. Adiele Afigbo wrote: ‘This is a work which Owerre indigenes will read with pleasure and stranger elements with much needed enlightenment. It is a work written in crystal clear prose whose smooth unhurried flow produces on the emotions the same entrancing effect as do the Owerre dialect of the Igbo Language, the smiles of their maidens and the evergreen lyrics of Joe Nez.’

One of our problems as a people in this country is that we lack a sense of history. And that has to do with our level of development and hence our sense of value. If I appreciated Douglas House in the past, I appreciate it the more now following my recent trip to Ghana where all colonial relics are not only carefully preserved but converted into tourist attractions that yield needed revenue to the national coffers of that country which appears to be leading Africa in thought. For example, the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre in Accra has far less attraction than Douglas House, yet so much is made out of it. It is time for us to wake up from our primitive level and   think  aloud, making use of new ideas. So, let us re-create Douglas House and make something out of it through tourism. Even the fact that it was dead, buried and resurrected will add tourist value to it.

The Imo State government should accept the challenge posed by this tragedy and work towards the re-creation of Douglas House ensuring that the project is   completely insulated from politics.”

As I write these reminiscences, I do not know what government has done with Douglas House. It is hoped, however, that it does not suffer the fate of other historic structures in Nigeria that have been demolished by first generation Nigerians who suddenly find themselves in governance, that destroy historic edifices and in the name of modernization, replace them with pompous eyesores that are full of outward show, devoid of inner significance.

I cannot end this presentation without correcting a mistake generally made by people over Douglas House. For the avoidance of doubt created by uninformed journalists and  public servants, Douglas House is not Government House. The two are different. Government House is a combination of the Governor’s residence and the Governor’s office. On the other hand, Douglas House is the highest guest house of the Imo State government.

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