David Obadiah Lot
Encyclopedia
David Obadiah Vrengkat Lot was a Nigerian religious leader of the Church of Christ denomination and a politician from the Middle Belt
region of Nigeria. He was an early leader of the middle belt political movement
in the 1940s. The movement among other things desired the creation of a separate state for inhabitants of the region.
. He was raised in the Christian faith and attended a missionary primary school in his district of Panyam. From there, he was trained and mentored by missionaries in the district
. In 1926, courtesy of Miss Webster, his mentor he went to St Bartholomew, Zaria
, a missionary boarding school founded by Walter Miller. After completing his studies, he turned to the teaching profession as an early vocation
.
from the Panyam district. David was nominated and sent to a training school for pastors in Gindiri and soon thereafter became an ordained minister.
David Lot joined the political scene in the 1940s. He was interested in ways of improving the social
and political lot of Christians in the middle belt region and to protect them from the dominant Islamic Hausa-Fulani
group. In 1946, he was among a team of Nigerians who traveled to London
to attend a constitutional conference. In 1950, he was a founding member and leader of the Middle Zone League (MZL) and a year later contested and won a seat to the House of Representative. However, by 1955, the league was looking for ways to re-invent itself and consolidate with other like minded organizations from the region. The League later merged with another middle belt party to form the United Middle Belt Congress
However, an agreement by Lot to join forces with the Northern Peoples Party was opposed by a section of the newly formed party. The opposition to the move was led by Joseph Tarka
a much younger politician from Tiv
land. He later left politics to concentrate on the Ministry of Christ.
Middle Belt
The Middle Belt is a human geographical term designating the region of central Nigeria populated largely by minority ethnic groups and stretching across the country longitudinally. The Middle Belt is indeterminate in that it lacks designated "borders" and is charactized by a heterogeneity and...
region of Nigeria. He was an early leader of the middle belt political movement
Political movement
A political movement is a social movement in the area of politics. A political movement may be organized around a single issue or set of issues, or around a set of shared concerns of a social group...
in the 1940s. The movement among other things desired the creation of a separate state for inhabitants of the region.
Early life
David Lot was born in 1907 to the family of Daniel Lot, a Christian evangelistEvangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
. He was raised in the Christian faith and attended a missionary primary school in his district of Panyam. From there, he was trained and mentored by missionaries in the district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
. In 1926, courtesy of Miss Webster, his mentor he went to St Bartholomew, Zaria
Zaria
Zaria may refer to:*Zaria, a city in Kaduna State, Nigeria*Zaria , or Zoria, the Slavic goddess of beauty*Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg, a member of the Dutch royal family...
, a missionary boarding school founded by Walter Miller. After completing his studies, he turned to the teaching profession as an early vocation
Vocation
A vocation , is a term for an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.-Senses:...
.
Career
He started his teaching job at a small primary school in Panyam and got married later. In 1939, a need arose for a pastorPastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
from the Panyam district. David was nominated and sent to a training school for pastors in Gindiri and soon thereafter became an ordained minister.
David Lot joined the political scene in the 1940s. He was interested in ways of improving the social
Social
The term social refers to a characteristic of living organisms...
and political lot of Christians in the middle belt region and to protect them from the dominant Islamic Hausa-Fulani
Hausa-Fulani
Hausa-Fulani is a term used to refer collectively to the Hausa and Fulani people of West Africa. The two are grouped together because since the Fulani War their histories have been largely intertwined...
group. In 1946, he was among a team of Nigerians who traveled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to attend a constitutional conference. In 1950, he was a founding member and leader of the Middle Zone League (MZL) and a year later contested and won a seat to the House of Representative. However, by 1955, the league was looking for ways to re-invent itself and consolidate with other like minded organizations from the region. The League later merged with another middle belt party to form the United Middle Belt Congress
United Middle Belt Congress
United Middle Belt Congress was a political party in Nigeria during the nation's First Republic. The Party was a fusion of two major middle belt organizations, the Middle Zone League and the Middle Belt Peoples' Party...
However, an agreement by Lot to join forces with the Northern Peoples Party was opposed by a section of the newly formed party. The opposition to the move was led by Joseph Tarka
Joseph Tarka
Senator Joseph Sarwuan Tarka was a Nigerian politician from Benue State and a former minister for Transport and then Communications under General Yakubu Gowon...
a much younger politician from Tiv
Tiv
Tiv are an ethno-linguistic group or ethnic nation in West Africa. They constitute approximately 2.5% of Nigeria's total population, and number over 5.6 million individuals throughout Nigeria and Cameroon. The Tiv are the 4th largest ethnic group in Nigeria. Tiv language is spoken by about 6...
land. He later left politics to concentrate on the Ministry of Christ.