Nigerian sprinter Olayinka Olajide wore a modern Aso-Oke ensemble at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, pairing athletic identity with traditional heritage.
The outfit, designed and crafted by Lagos-based fashion brand Monidaeys, featured a forest-green cropped long-sleeve top with two white stripes running down the front and sleeves. It was paired with a high-waisted, floor-length skirt in vertical green and off-white stripes, with a diagonal dark-green fringe detail across the right hip.
Monidaeys produced the ceremonial attire in collaboration with the National Sports Commission of Nigeria, using authentic handwoven Aso-Oke, a fabric traditionally reserved for high-status celebrations among the Yoruba people. The brand adapted the heavy textile into a loose, comfortable cut that allowed athletes to march easily while maintaining a formal silhouette.
“Team Nigeria called, and I answered. Standing tall in our traditional heritage tonight at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony. Let the games begin,” Olajide wrote alongside a series of portraits she shared.
The photographs, shot by GVS against an olive-green backdrop, showed the athlete in poised poses with her long auburn hair falling over her shoulders.
Olajide competes collegiately for the Texas Tech Red Raiders and has become a leading figure in Nigerian sprinting. She won gold in the 4x100m relay, silver in the 200m, and bronze in the 100m at the African Games in Accra. She later represented Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the women’s 4x100m relay pool. In 2026, she claimed 4th place in the final round of the women’s 60-meter dash. Her performance contributed 5 points to the Texas Tech women’s team score, helping them secure a 2nd-place finish overall in the team standings at the 2026 Big 12 Indoor Championships.
Olajide is scheduled to compete in the women’s 100m and 4x100m relay events, with heats set to begin in the coming days.
