# Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour Yoruba language proficiency

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/gbadebo-rhodes-vivour-yoruba-language-proficiency
> Updated: 2026-10-05T05:15:00.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2.

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the African Democratic Congress candidate for the Lagos State governorship, announced plans to campaign in Yoruba for the 2027 elections. Following criticism during the 2023 election cycle regarding his limited fluency, Rhodes-Vivour stated he hired a teacher to improve his command of the language to better connect with residents, though he maintained his primary focus is on infrastructure and environmental issues.

However, Rhodes-Vivour subsequently faced scrutiny after mispronouncing a Yoruba proverb during a town hall event. Despite his previous efforts to improve his proficiency, the incident has renewed political discussions regarding the importance of linguistic skills for candidates seeking to lead Lagos State.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-05: Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour faces scrutiny over Yoruba language proficiency

Lagos gubernatorial aspirant Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour faced scrutiny after mispronouncing a Yoruba proverb during a town hall event, highlighting the political importance of local language proficiency.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gbadebo-rhodes-vivour-faces-scrutiny-over-yoruba-language-proficiency

### 2026-09-17: Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour to campaign in Yoruba for 2027 Lagos election

Lagos governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour announced he has learned Yoruba to campaign for the 2027 elections, addressing previous criticisms regarding his language fluency.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gbadebo-rhodes-vivour-to-campaign-in-yoruba-for-2027-lagos-election

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Cite as: Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour Yoruba language proficiency. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/gbadebo-rhodes-vivour-yoruba-language-proficiency