Shatu Garko made headlines on 17 December 2021 when she won the 44th Miss Nigeria pageant. The 18 year old Hijab model is a Muslim that represented North West zone at the contest.
After heading home with the crown, Shatu Garko has been dragged by the Hisbah board which is responsible for the enforcement of Sharia Law in northern Nigerian state that have implemented the Islamic code.
According to them, it is against Islamic tenets in Islam to participate in a beauty contest as women are likely to expose their bodies during the process. And it makes them not to be shy and reserved.
The commander General of the Islamic police in Kano state, Sheik Harum Ibn-Sina said that Shatu Garko’S parents will be invited for questioning for allowing her participate.
We have confirmed that Shatu Garko is a Muslim from Kano State and her parents come from Garko Local Government Area. Kano is a Sharia state and this is why we won’t let the issue rest,” he said.
The while issue has sparked reactions from people online which one of them is Nigerian Journalist, Gimba Kakanda, he tweeted;
I just feel Hisbah enjoy having Muslims, especially Northerners subjected to ridicule, inviting Shatu Garko’s parents is absolutely unnecessary no matter their intention. There are critical issues affecting the Muslim society and none is participating in Miss Nigeria.
Nigerian activist, Aisha Yesuf also said the she waiting for when she would be invited for her daughter winning a pagentry.
Former lawmaker representative of Kaduna central senatorial zone District, Shehu Saani opted that what Sharko Garko did is not wrong, based on the fact that she dressed decently during the whole exercise.
In his tweet, there are daughters of rich and powerful people who do it and go away with impunity. He appealed to Hisbah religious authority to leaves Sharko Garko.