Months after celebrating being the first Hijabi model in Nigeria, 18-year-old Shatu Garko made history by winning the 44th Miss Nigeria Pageant on December 17 of 2021, becoming the first Hijabi first Muslim to win the pageant since its inception in 1957.
The beautiful queen from Kano state beat thousand of applicants, 40 contestants, and 17 finalists to clinch the diamond-encrusted crown at the pageant grand finale event at the Landmark Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos. As the proud winner, she went home with 10 million Naira, a brand new car, alongside other huge prizes. Shatu Garko was also the youngest contestant at the 2021 pageant edition.
She automatically broke the long-standing record as the youngest person ever to win the pageant upon her emergence as a winner. According to its organizers, the Miss Nigeria beauty pageant is all about showcasing the positive attributes of Nigerian women. However, out of many beautiful participants wearing high-slit gowns and showing cleavage, Shatu became one of the only two hijabi contestants, was found worthy of wearing the crown.
Apart from stating that she believes religion and culture should never stand in the way of anyone’s dreams, Shatu has gone ahead to prove this and inspire other young women like herself. So far, Jubilation and celebration have trailed her win as the 44th Miss Nigeria, with many hailing her for not comprising on her values. However merry, there is a problem.
The Kano Hisbah Police have condemned her participation in the pageant and have reportedly arrested her parents for serving as a deterrent to others. #ShatuGarko #ShatuGarkomissNigeria #MissNigeria
See Full Video Details
