The origin of the founders of Lere goes deep into history and the Takrur region of present-day Mauritania and Senegambia, where a kingdom once thrived under the Fulbe or Fulani.

The original founders of Lere claimed as their ancestral home the Futa Toro, where they developed a strong presence around the Senegal river valley as far back as the 5th century.

Oral traditions suggest a strong association in terms of intermarriages between them and other ethnic groups such as the North African Berbers like Zenata, Zenaga, and Sanhaja clans, as well as Maqil Arabs which generated several conflicting theories as regard to their origin.

This clan intermarried with the Sanhaja Arabs from Massufa in the Western Sahara, who founded the Almoravid or al-Murabitun movement in the eleventh century.

In Timbuktu, they played a significant role in the emergence of Askia Muhammad as emperor of Songhai at the fall of Mali Empire in the 15th century.

After Askia Muhammad defeated Sonni Barou at the Battle of Anfao in April 1493, which ended the reign of the Za dynasty in Songhai, he re-organised the Songhai Empire and appointed Umar bin Muhammad Naddi, a Sanhaja Arab, as governor of Timbuktu, and the Askia gave him the right to possess a drum as sign of his authority.

From Niger, they drifted southward into present-day northern Nigeria and settled at Zamfara, near Maru in a place now known as Tsohon Banaga.

Muhammad Dabo (Titi) left his brother, Yunusa, in Jaji near Zaria and travelled to south-eastern Zazzau, near present-day Dan Alhaji, where he built his camp.

While he was there, a group under Usman Biri, apparently tired of roaming, broke from the camp and travelled to the southern part of Bauchi territory.

It is however instructive to note that in 1808 Muhammadu Dabo Titi picked Lere as the name for his newly established vassal state after his installation in Sokoto.

The Emirate of Lere was established in 1808 by a branch of Toronkawa Fulani, known as the Fulanin Wunti-Gyamzo, under the leadership of Malam Muhammadu Dabo Titi.

[13] Having settled at Zaranda for a while, Malam Muhammadu Dabo Titi shifted base to Toro and built his home at a place called Gyamzo.

Shortly after a major disagreement ensued between Malam Muhammadu Dabo Titi and the Emir of Bauchi Mallam Yakubu over the imposition of cattle taxes on Fulanin Wunti.

The case was referred to Shehu Usman Dan Fodio, who after careful study ordered for the return of the cattle to Titi.

Sequel to this a request was again made by Malam Muhammadu Dabo Titi to Shehu Usman Dan Fodio for the transfer of allegiance to Zazzau from Bauchi.

The Shehu, however, suggested that Dabo Titi relocate to Bukuru, near present-day Jos, Plateau State, where he would be made a flag bearer.

Upon his ascension to the throne in 1857, Malam Muhammadu Dankaka founded Masherengi as a unified settlement but was forced to abandon it following a night raid by Sarkin Ningi Dan Maje in 1867 which destroyed the town.

This exchange resulted in Zazzau emirate having ten vassal states namely Lere, Keffi, Nasarawa, Doma, Jema'a, Lapai, Kajuru, Kauru, Fatika and Durum.

As stated earlier Lere vassal was ruled by the following chiefs: Sequel to the colonial takeover of the Northern Emirates in 1903, the vassalage system was abolished and replaced by districts and provinces.

The remnants which constitutes the present Lere Local Government Area was thus reduced to a district status under a hereditary rulership system (or Sarki) in 1905 during the reign of Muhammadu Dankaka.

This is a precedent for the full restoration of Lere's traditional status and a step towards attaining the position of Emirate as its peers in Kaduna and other states.