Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour to campaign in Yoruba for 2027 Lagos election

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the Lagos State governorship, announced that he has improved his Yoruba language proficiency and is prepared to campaign in the language for the 2027 elections. During a television interview, Rhodes-Vivour demonstrated his progress by responding to greetings in Yoruba.

Rhodes-Vivour stated that he hired a teacher to improve his command of the language, noting that while culture and identity are important, his primary focus remains on addressing infrastructure and environmental issues in Lagos. He highlighted challenges such as flooding, housing shortages, and traffic congestion, which he argues affect all residents regardless of ethnic background.

The move follows criticism during the 2023 election cycle, where his limited fluency in Yoruba became a political point of contention. Rhodes-Vivour, who previously ran under the Labour Party, attributed his past language gaps to his mixed heritage and time spent living outside Nigeria.