Shatu Garko, has rubbished the claim that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, paid for her to be crowned as Miss Nigeria.
Garko emerged winner of the 44th Miss Nigeria pageant on December 17, 2021 at the Landmark Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
Garko, who wore a hijab during the pageant, took home the prize of N10m, one-year residency in a luxury apartment, brand new car, and many brand ambassadorship opportunities.
But some including the Kano Hisbah police boss had questioned her participation, stating that it was illegal and unknown to Islam and claiming President Buhari and Governor Ganduje, paid for her to be crowned as Miss Nigeria.
Speaking on the development in an interview on Friday, Garko, rubbished the claim saying , “No one has called me but I’ve gotten so many comments and DMs that ‘I was naked’, ‘I’m doing the wrong thing.”
“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 them, I don’t say anything, I just move on. The crown is already on my head so there is nothing I can do,” she said.
Garko said she hopes to use her crown to “eliminate menstrual poverty and educate young girls on menstrual hygiene”.
