Former beauty queen Sharifa Akeel on her relationship with politician husband: ‘Fate wanted us to be together’
Sharifa Akeel dreamed to represent the country in the biggest beauty pageant stage in the universe. Though that dream will no longer materialize, she says she has no regrets as she is wearing “the greatest and most special crown of all—to be Mrs. Sharifa Akeel Mangudadatu.”
On Aug. 25, Wednesday, Miss Asia Pacific International 2018 Sharifa Akeel, 24, married Maguindanao Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, 53, in an Islam ceremony in Cotabato City.
Days before the couple tied the knot, it was in the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, Bureau of External Relations Facebook page where news of the wedding was announced.
Following the buzz about the wedding, pageant fans were saddened that Sharifa, who is of Filipino, Qatari and Iranian descent, will no longer be able to compete in beauty pageants, while others brought back the allegations thrown at her last year of having an affair with the politician.
A day after the wedding, the former beauty queen penned a message to her husband on Facebook and shared photos of the ceremony.
“The road that led me to you was not easy. No matter how hard I tried to fight it, no matter how much others wanted to fight it, fate wanted us to be together,” Sharifa wrote.
“When I realized and then accepted that, love and happiness filled my life, and I realized that YOU, who has been there for the past 6 years, was all that I was missing. I am excited to take on this new adventure, this new phase in my life, because I will be going on it with you, husband,” she concluded.
Many of Sharifa’s friends and fans congratulated the couple, while some also questioned if they actually had an affair as the beauty queen mentioned the politician was already in her life for six years. She clarified it by editing her post.
“It was six years ago when we first met and yes, nanligaw siya sa akin noon. No, wala pa po kaming relasyon noon. No, hindi ko po siya sinagot. And yes, hindi siya tumigil ng pagpapakita niya ng love niya sa akin,” Sharifa noted.
She also said this year, they were brought closer together by circumstances that were out of their control. “This year has taught me na siya nalang pala ang kulang sa buhay ko.”
In a video she posted on Facebook later the same day, Sharifa and her husband opened up about their love story. They also took the opportunity to apologized to both their families for not revealing the status of their relationship.
According to the couple, it was in 2015 when Mangudadatu first asked Sharifa, who was then 18 years old, her hand for marriage. As she wanted to do and achieve more in her life, Sharifa declined but Mangudadatu was persistent.
The politician, who was then the governor of Maguindanao, said in the video that he offered Sharifa friendship instead so they could get to know each other more, which she accepted.
According to Sharifa, the first time they met in person was in 2016. “Napahanga niya ako dahil alam naman natin kung ano siya sa politika at kung anong estado niya sa buhay,” she said. “Napaka-humble, simpatico, magalang, ma-respeto at kapansin-pansin ang kanyang pagiging relihiyoso.”
After they first met was, according to Mangudadatu, the start of their constant communication.
“Doon na nagsimula ang aming connection. Naging magkaibigan kami, nagkatawagan, nagkakamustahan gabi-gabi,” he said.
It was in 2019 when Sharifa and Mangudadatu saw each other again in person at the Inaul Fashion Show in Buluan, Maguindanao. This is also where Mangudadatu first kissed Sharifa on the cheek, a “friendly gesture,” according to the politician. It was a memorable day for her, Sharifa said.
Mangudadatu became Sharifa’s support system, especially during the time when fellow Muslims reportedly criticized her for joining a beauty pageant. She later on become the first Muslim Filipina to win an international pageant for the Philippines.
Sharifa was among those that pageant organizers were eyeing to compete for Miss Universe, Mangudadatu said. “Pero pinalagpas niya ang opportunity na iyon to finally settle down with me. She’s a simple, modest, humble woman,” he described Sharifa.
The former beauty queen shared that aside from the honor of being crowned as Miss Asia Pacific International, one of her biggest dreams was to join the Miss Universe pageant.
“Hindi man ito natupad, no regrets because right now, I am wearing the greatest and most special crown of all, to be Mrs. Sharifa Akeel Mangudadatu,” she said.
Mangudadatu also took the opportunity to clear the air and emphasized that, “sa huling pagkakataon, nais kong linawin na hindi ko naging kalaguyo si Sharifa kailanman. Pinakasalan ko siya at buong puso akong naniniwala na tinanggap niya ako bilang asawa dahil mahal niya ako at hindi dahil sa aking estado.”
In the caption of the video, Sharifa wrote, “Sometimes, life gives us unexpected surprises. Sometimes you get taken aback and refuse the gift that life is giving you. But fate will always find a way to bring you closer together, especially if Allah deems it so.”
Banner and thumbnail photos from Sharifa Akeel’s Facebook page