By Akinwale Kasali
Reactions have greeted the planned invitation of the 2021 Miss Nigeria Beauty Pagent Winner, 18- year old Shatou Garko, and her parents by Kano Hisbah Board for participating in what it termed an unholy, immoral, sinful and illicit event against the Islamic faith.
But Commandant-General of the Hisbah board, Sheikh Harun Ibn Sina, has debunked the news that the Board invited the winner of the 44th edition of Miss Nigeria, Garko for questioning.
This was just as he, also, denied that it has invited parents of the beauty pageant winner for questioning.
Ibn Sina described the rumoured quizzing of Shatou as the handiwork of mischief-makers.
He noted that the Hisbah authorities in the state did not extend any formal or verbal invitation to Shatou or her parents.
Ibn Sina said, rather, Hisbah only cautioned against the putting of attires that contradict Islamic injunctions noting that clothings that expose sensitive parts of feminine bodies is strictly unacceptable.
It will be recalled that a publication stated that the Kano State Hisbah Board had condemned the emergence of Shatu Garko as the winner of Miss Nigeria 2021, saying it was forbidden for Muslims to participate in any affair that is against Islamic doctrine
Ibn Sina, in the publication, said that participating in the beauty pageant is against the teachings of Islam and the Northern culture.
The publication said the command would soon invite parents to speak on why they allowed her to participate in the contest.
“We investigated and confirmed that the girl called Shatu Garko is from Kano State and an indigene of Garko Local Government area of Kano State where Hisbah is also at work. Islamically, it is totally forbidden because it goes against the teachings and practices of Islam. Immorality is practised and it (beauty pageant) encourages the female gender to be immoral.
“The Holy Qur’an said we should tell our families, especially females to cover their bodies entirely because it’s the best thing for their spiritual, emotional and physical wellbeing. A female Muslim is not allowed to open any part of her body except her face and palms of her hands except for their husbands, children or siblings.
“It has come to our notice that our children are now coming out to contest for this immoral act which is not acceptable,” he said.
The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, in its reaction urged the Kano State Hisbah Board to invite Garko, saying that the Miss Nigeria pageant is like Big Brother Naija, BBNaija.
The Islamic Rights Group stated that Garko’s parents have a case to answer over their daughter’s ‘illegal’ participation in the beauty pageant.
Prof. Ishaq Akintola, MURIC Director, said no decent Muslim lady would participate in any Beauty Pageant like the Miss Nigeria contest, adding that the Beauty Pageant is not different from the television reality show, Big Brother Naija (BBNaija).
The Group said Muslims do not participate in any Beauty Pageant, according to Quran Chapter 24, Verse 31; and Quran Chapter 33, Verse 59.
“These two verses emphatically insist that women should cover themselves and dress up decently and neither should display their body for the public. Being present in a beauty pageant even if she was in a hijab, she had done the catwalked with thousands of men eating her up with their eyes. It is not acceptable,” Akintola stressed.
The Miss Nigeria pageant took place on December 17, at the Landmark Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria, with Garko emerging winner.
Garko, wore a hijab during the pageant, carting home the prize of N10m, one-year residency in a luxury apartment, brand new car, and many brand ambassadorship opportunities.
Akintola, a Professor of Islamic Eschatology at the Lagos State University said:
“We are not quite impressed by the development because the environment itself is un-Islamic – women parading their bodies and all of that. Hers may be different but she is not supposed to mix with those kinds of people. It is like going for BBNaija and using Hijab or dressing like a Muslim but you participated in BBNaija where people make love before the camera and millions of Nigerians are watching.
“In a Beauty Pageant, women also parade their bodies in stages, they come in bikini and all of that. It is not an exercise a Muslim lady should participate in, people who are decent, who have shame, who have honour, who would not display their nudity, who would not expose their bums for millions of naira should not participate in such pageants.”
On the proposed invitation of Garko’s parents by the Kano Sharia police, Akintola said, “It is very good. Why do you think Nigeria is in trouble and our youths uncontrollable? It is because that parental guidance and values are missing at home. How did the parents allow her to go contest? Though she may be 18-year-old, once you are still under your parents, you are under your parents in Islam”.
