El-Rufa’i appoints new monarchs for Lere emirate, Godogodo Chiefdom

Governor Nasir el-Rufa’i of Kaduna state has approved the appointments of Engr. Suleiman Umaru Lere and Rev. Habila Sa’idu as the new Emir of Lere and Chief of Godogodo, respectively, following their recommendation by their kingmakers.

A statement issued by the governor’s special adviser on media and communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, on Friday indicated that Engr. Lere emerged out of the five aspirants that were screened by the kingmakers.

It added that Lere retired from the services of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in February 2020 as the general manager, Expansion Project.

The 61-year-old new emir graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria in 1985, with a degree in Chemical Engineering and obtained an MBA from the same university in 2000. He was turbaned Madakin Lere in 2015. 

Adekeye also disclosed that Rev. Sa’idu of the Nindem ruling house emerged from the eight aspirants that were screened and assessed by the Godogodo kingmakers. 

The new chief of Godogodo, Rev Habila Sa’idu, was born on October 30, 1955, at Nindem in Jema’a local government and attended ECWA Primary School Godogodo from 1961 to 1967. 

Thereafter, he proceeded to ECWA Bible College Kagoro from 1976 to 1980, ECWA Seminary Igbaja in Kwara state from 1985 to 1988, ECWA Seminary, Jos (1998 to 2001). From 2007 to 2013, he was at Asbury Theological Seminary Wilmore in the United States.