Editors React
OpenLife News reports that after Nigeria’s absence on the field of play at the just concluded 2026 World Cup finals in North America, joy momentarily strolled in when 27 years old Temitope Adeshina claimed bronze medal in the women’s high jump at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Tuesday, July 28.
But the Glasgow joy of success got immediately eclipsed by the absence of Nigeria’s national flag, a major component that brings happiness during victory moments which also unite people, create shared pride and reflect deep love for the country despite tribal and political predispositions.
Noting the significance of flag in celebrating sport wins given that the colors and symbols give citizens sense of pride of their country and its hard work, Rose Moses, Newsmart Online Publisher, asked: “Where’s the Nigerian flag?”
Writing on her Facebook wall, Rose Moses expressed disappointment over the disgusting manner the moment of celebration was mismanaged in Glasgow by Nigerian officials.
She queried the level of preparations and asked how vital component like flag could have been left out in the manual.
Moses however, applauded Adeshina for lifting Nigeria’s “battered spirit with one leap, doing more for our country’s honor in that instant than a whole parade of overpaid politicians ever have.”
She also commended her for disappointing the Nigerian officials who probably believed the country would not go that far in Glasgow.
“She made history. She made a podium. She won bronze in high jump – high jump, of all things! I can’t remember Nigeria ever showing up in this event.
Temitope Simbiat Adeshina did it – and on her first, or is it second Commonwealth Games appearance, I believe. But what does she find when it’s time to celebrate with the other medalists?
No Nigerian flag. No flag. No one to drape around her shoulders while she posed for photos with Australia’s gold and silver winners. What the heck?
So tell me: were the officials not even planning to win a medal? Or was the flag-checking clause conveniently left out of the job description?
Kai! Our athlete turns the Commonwealth stage into Nigeria’s moment, and the delegation can’t even remember the basic bit of dignity – the flag. Temitope desperately searched the whole of that arena for the Green. White. Green national colour, to a point her opponents noticed the embarrassment!
However, watching Temitope glow with pride and shock over her feat made my chest swell. More so on a night the Super Falcons, at WAFCON, were humiliated 3:2 by Malawi…Malawi of all country o! That one also hit hard.
But Temitope, nevertheless, lifted our battered spirit with one leap, doing more for our country’s honor in that instant than a whole parade of overpaid politicians ever have.
I join her in celebrating that bronze like it’s gold. And the real joke? It’s on the organization that forgot the flag – or was, as usual, out shopping when we needed them most.
Bravo, Temitope. I am glad you held your head high, for you did what they forgot to do,” Moses stated.
Lending his voice, Martins Oloja, a media consultant and former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian Newspaper said, “That is an emblem of our suffering and shame! A good commentary from an editor’s desk. If you get to our local and international airports, you can’t find our national flag too. Do we also have memorabilia in our shops even at our hotels and airports?
“You can only wait for October 1 moments to find vendors and street traders who sell unworthy national flag camouflage. Indeed, an emblem of shame on a hill far away in Glasgow.”
Responding to Oloja, Moses added, “So sad. The two Australian athletes that won gold and silver each pick their flag so smoothly and our girl was desperately searching all over that arena for a piece of that national ‘item.’
Born on November 11, 1998 , Adeshina lived up to expectations in the women’s high jump, producing a best clearance of 1.90m to secure the bronze medal in a highly competitive field.
She finished behind Australia’s Eleanor Patterson and Nicola Olyslagers, improving significantly from 10th place on her Commonwealth Games debut four years ago.
In May, Adesina cleared 1.94 meters to win the high jump by almost 10 centimetres at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships.
At the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships which held from June 10 to June 13, 2026, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, she cleared 1.96 meters to win.
Before then, Adeshina won the Nigerian championship high jump title in 2022. She retained her Nigerian championship title in 2023.
She joined Texas Tech University in 2023, and competing indoors in early 2024 jumped a personal best and national record height of 1.96 metres in Texas.
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