The 44th Miss Nigeria, Shatu Garko, has stated how she convinced her dad to allow her to contest in the pageant.

The 18-year-old Garko who become the first hijabi to win the Miss Nigeria pageant since its inception in 1957 revealed this during an interview.

She said, “My mum has always been my biggest supporter so convincing her to let me do this was not difficult. However, my dad was not on board.

“He was worried about me being forced to take off my hijab, or wear a swimsuit, or just being treated differently because of the hijab. My mum and I had to do an entire presentation to convince him. But after that point, I had his full support.”

She further said that critics dissuaded her from competing in the pageant, as they told her that she’d bring Boko Haram into the brand.

According to her, naysayers told her to face her schooling instead of going for the contest.

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When asked if she received any backlash for her decision to contest, she said, “Yes, and not only from Northerners; from other people too. Some said, ’go to school’ and some said I was going to spoil the Miss Nigeria brand. Others even instigated that I was bringing in Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen. I simply ignored them.”

Speaking on her motivation, Garko said, “I wanted to take a chance on myself. When I applied, I honestly did not think for a second that I could win.

“But a small voice kept ringing in my head, ‘what if you get selected’? I realised that just by getting selected, I could inspire so many young girls even if I didn’t win.”

Garko, who hails from Kano State, was crowned the 44th Miss Nigeria after beating 17 other finalists at an event on Friday, December 17, 2022, in Lagos. She was also the youngest contestant this year, winning N10m, a one-year residency at a luxury apartment, a brand new car, and brand ambassadorship opportunities.