Shatu Garko on Friday, December 24, has lambasted her critics for being named the 44th Miss Nigeria.
Garko, who was wearing hijab, was on December 17 crowned Miss Nigeria, at the Landmark Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos Following the emergence of Garko as Miss Nigeria, the Kano Hisbah Board threatened to invite her parents.
Days after the Kano Hisbah Board said it would invite the parents of 44th Miss Nigeria, Shatu Garko, for allowing the daughter to participate in the beauty pageant on December 17.
The Punch reports that Garko on Friday, December 24, slammed those who criticized her for participating in the beauty pageant because she is a Muslim.
The 44th Miss Nigeria, Shatu Garko, has berated her critics. The hijab-wearing queen said though critics may continue to talk, the Miss Nigeria crown is already on her head and there is nothing she can do about it.
MURIC backs Hisbah over their plan to invite Shatu Garko’s parents.
The commander-general of the Kano Hisbah Board, Harun Ibn-Sina, said that the Sharia Police would invite the parents of Garko for allowing her to participate in the Miss Nigeria pageant at the Landmark Centre in Victoria Island.
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Garko, who wore a hijab during the pageant, had won the beauty pageant and took home the prize of N10m, one-year residency in a luxury apartment, brand new car, and many brand ambassadorship opportunities.
The Hisbah boss, however, said Garko’s participation is illegal and unknown to Islam, adding that the parents of the teenager would be invited so that other ladies won’t model after Garko.
Some northern activists including Aisha Yesufu, and Shehu Sani had criticized the Hisbah Board over the planned invitation and the board later disowned the plan.
Garko said while slamming her critics.
No one has called me but I’ve gotten so many comments and DMs that ‘I was naked’, ‘I’m doing the wrong thing.” She said that Nigerians like judging people.
The beauty queen said: “Honestly, Nigerians like judging people. Many people said the president paid for me to get the crown; others said my state governor paid to get crowned. Some people said my parents paid Miss Nigeria for me to get crowned but that’s not true. “Some people who are not even Muslims said that I’m spoiling the Miss Nigeria culture. Honestly, I don’t reply to them, I don’t say anything, I just move on. The crown is already on my head so there is nothing I can do.”
The teenager said she hopes to use her crown to “eliminate menstrual poverty and educate young girls on menstrual hygiene.”
It was reported that the director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Wednesday, December 22, said no decent Muslim lady would participate in any beauty pageant like the Miss Nigeria contest. Akintola said the beauty pageant is not different from the television reality show, Big Brother Naija.
