The two and a half hours of culture, inclusion and pomp was the spectacle the world witnessed at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games held at the Alexander Stadium.
A brilliant display of the cultural origins of the countries of the Commonwealth enmeshed in a mix of the representative beauty of the host city, the West Midlands city of Birmingham held the world captive last night
Opening with a montage to honour the Queen, the head of the Commonwealth, then came Prince Charles who drove into the arena in a convoy of stylish historically designed automobiles
Then came Samantha Oxborough who gave a heartfelt rendition of God save the Queen along with the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Other notable acts on this historic night were the powerful speech given by 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai. She hailed the spirit of Birmingham as a city that opened its arms to her after she was shot by the Taliban and brought to the United Kingdom to recover.
One thing that did stand out last night was how the ceremony highlighted the city’s origins and symbolism. With an emphasis on the Industrial Revolution and its strategic positioning as a key industrial centre.
Famously known as the City of a Thousand Trades and the Workshop of the World during 18th and 19th centuries, Birmingham proudly displayed this historical array on the night.
For lovers of the popular TV series “Peaky Blinders”, a 1920s post-war English crime series set in Birmingham; Tommy Shelby- dressed performers also made an appearance on the night to the glee of everyone
The Raging Bull and its entourage also added colour to the ceremony on the night.
Proceedings wrapped up with Le Bon’s rendition of the final chorus of Ordinary World followed by fireworks that lit up the skies of the Alexander stadium on what would be a night to remember for the beautiful and diverse city of Birmingham.
Team Nigeria was a part of the procession too decked in white coloured “guinea” attire with smiles on their faces beaming from left to right as they walked the length the arena.
The Commonwealth Games will end on the 8th of August 2022
