Following her victory in the last 2021 Miss Nigeria Beauty Pageant, Kano state Hisbah board has announced that it will be inviting Queen Shatu Garko’s parents.
Garko an indigene of Kano state became the first hijab-wearing contestant to clinch the coveted crown since the inception of the pageant 1957.
Kano Hisbah board commandant, Haruna Ibn-Sina, who made the planned invitation of the new Miss Nigeria’s parents in an interview with the BBC Pidgin, said Garko’s participation in the pageant was “illegal”.
According to Ibn-Sina, participation in beauty pageantries is against Islamic tenets, and Garko’s action could encourage other girls to do same.
His words said;
“We (Hisbah) has confirmed that Shatu Garko is a Muslim from Kano state and her parents come from Garko LGA. Kano is a Sharia state and this is why we will not allow the matter to die like that.
“We will invite the parents to talk to them about the actions of their daughter and the fact that what she did is illegal in Islam. This is to make them know that she cannot continue that path and also stop other girls from copying her.”
The commandant also backed his claim with verses in the Quran, affirming that such contest teaches girls not to be shy and reserved. Ibn-Sina also said that organisers of such beauty pageants are at the risk of God’s wrath.
“In Islam, it is forbidden for anyone to participate in a beauty contest. A lot of things happen in such contest which is against Islam. For instance, there is usually a lot of people exposing their bodies during the event while such contest teaches girls not to be shy and reserved,” he added.