Miss Kenya, Irene Mukii, has been crowned Miss Africa at the 2019 Miss Africa Beauty Pageant in Calabar.

Mukii, who is a Mathematics and Computer Science student of the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, won the coveted crown in the early hours of Saturday in Calabar.

She defeated 21 other contestants in a keenly contested competition which saw Miss Angola, Daniela Lopes, emerge as first runner up and Miss South Africa, Ethel Maimela as second runner up.

Speaking during the event, Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River, called for the adoption of humanity as the greatest of all religions in the world.

Ayade, who was speaking on the theme of the 2019 Carnival Calabar “humanity”, said that once humanity becomes a personal doctrine, people would rise above primordial sentiments.

“None of us has the luxury of knowing where he was before he was born or where he is going after death, all we know is that we live, and for today that we live, let us live for humanity.

“Our perception needs to change, we must emphasise that what is greater than our colour, irrespective of the religions we believe in, is humanity.

“I speak to the world today, let us put an end to visas, let us put an end to the restrictions on human movement while allowing the movement of goods.

”Why should a farmer who plants cocoa in Ikom have his cocoa move to Switzerland, yet, himself is denied access to Switzerland?

“Enough of our choices based on sentiments, let our decisions be based on emotions that is driven by the fear of God and once you have the fear of God humanity becomes possible.

“Let us please take one religion as we leave here today, let humanity be that religion”, he said.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Miss Africa Beauty Pageant held annually in Calabar started in 2016 with 18 contestants from different African countries.

Miss Congo, Dorcas Kasinde, won the 2018 edition of the competition. (NAN)