Commonwealth Games Officially Kicks Off With Opening Ceremony

This year’s Commonwealth Games tagged ‘Birmingham 2022’ was declared open after a grand opening ceremony was held at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on Thursday.

Team Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games turned out in glamour, pomp and pageantry during the opening ceremony of the Games in Birmingham on Thursday.

Led by the flagbearers, Nnamdi Chinecherem Prosper and Oluwafemiayo Folashade as well as Mike Edwards, the athletes looked radiant and ready for the tasks ahead of them in the simple but fitting white and green attire.

Afrobeats from Nigeria rented the air inside the Alexander stadium, as the ceremony started out with drummer-percussionist Abraham Paddy Tetteh, while Indian classical vocalist and singer Ranjana Ghatak took the lead of the section intended to display the diversity of the city.

Host country England were the last to come in during the colourful opening ceremony.

Also, the opening ceremony was attended by Prince Charles as its chief guest.

Prince Charles of Wales read a message from Queen Elizabeth who called Birmingham “a pioneering city symbolic of the rich diversity and unity of the Commonwealth”.

Prince Charles declared the Games open to thunderous applauds and colourful fireworks.

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The ceremony closed with a bang and a short setlist from Birmingham band Duran Duran.

2022 Commonwealth Games is set to be the biggest and most expensive sporting event in the UK since the 2012 London Olympics.

The Games are officially open, with events beginning on Friday and more than 5,000 athletes representing 72 nations and territories across 19 sports and 280 medal events until 8 August.

Also, this year’s event will feature the largest number of events for women (136) and Para-sport athletes (42) in Games history

The 2018 Commonwealth Games was held in Gold Coast Australia with the hosts finishing top, England second and India third. Nigeria finished ninth after amassing nine gold, nine silver and six bronze.