2027: I now speak Yoruba, ready to campaign for Governor, says Rhodes-Vivour

By Samuel Ogunsona

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, is now ready to campaign in Yoruba language.

He contested in 2023 amidst controversy that he was not part of the Lagos acenstral culture, key of which is the ability to speak the local language.

But Rhodes said he has improved his Yoruba language proficiency after engaging a personal tutor.

He said he can now campaign in the indigenous language ahead of the 2027 election.

Rhodes-Vivour disclosed this on Thursday during an interview on Arise TV, monitored by Irohinoodua where he noted that language and culture is important and learning the language has helped him connect better with residents.

“Culture and language is very, very important, and I’ve gotten a Yoruba teacher, and I’ve learned Yoruba, and I can campaign in Yoruba, and that is wonderful,” he said.

According to him, while language and culture matter, his focus remains on fixing the everyday problems confronting Lagosians, citing that everyone who lives in Lagos regardless of thier cultural background are feeling the brunt of polluted and congested environment.

“My passionate interest is to ensure that we have a Lagos that no longer stinks,” he said, adding that issues like flooding, housing crisis, traffic congestion and loss of dignity affect all residents regardless of ethnicity.

Rhodes-Vivour’s Yoruba proficiency became a major talking point during the 2023 Lagos governorship election.

Running on the platform of the Labour Party, LP, the Lagos-born politician, whose father is Yoruba and mother is Igbo, faced questions over his heritage and ability to speak the language fluently.

During a Channels Television interview in March 2023, he admitted that although he understood Yoruba, he was not fluent, attributing it to his upbringing and time spent outside the country. His remark that he did not “think in Yoruba” was weaponised by opponents during the campaign.

Despite support from groups like Afenifere and Eko Forum, which defended his Lagos roots, he lost the election. Incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, won.

He later revealed that he had hired a Yoruba teacher to improve his fluency, a process he now says has yielded results as he prepares to contest again, this time on the ADC platform, for the 2027 governorship.