There was mild drama in the early hours of Friday after Miss Congo, Dorcas Kasinde, was declared winner of the 2018 Miss Africa beauty pageant hosted by the Cross River Government.
Miss Kasinde was about to be crowned by 2017 winner, Gaseangwe Balopi from Botswana, when her wig suddenly caught fire.
Show host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu; Miss Balopi and others were seen in a video shared online frantically trying to put out the fire.
On a brighter note, Kasinde, who beat Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnaemeka and Zambia’s Gladys Kayumba to the second and third positions respectively, went home with $35,000 and a sport utility vehicle.
Speaking earlier at the event held at the Calabar International Conference Centre, Governor Ben Ayade said it was time for Africans to appreciate themselves.
Prof Ayade said that Africa does need the western media to tell its story.
“This is a celebration of African beauty, brain and heritage; the world will see what African brain and beauty is all about.
“The judges should come down and look at those things that make a woman truly African; it is not just the skin colour.
“Tunisians and Moroccans are light-skinned but they are Africans,” he said.
Contestants from 25 countries participated in the Miss Africa beauty pageant.
There was live performance from 2face Idibia and Tiwa Savage.
