(Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour. Photo Credit: Peoples Gazette)
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the African Democratic Congress candidate for Lagos governor, says he has learned to speak Yoruba and can now campaign in the language.
The candidate made the announcement during a television interview Thursday, noting he hired a Yoruba teacher to develop his fluency.
Rhodes-Vivour said language and culture matter but stressed his main focus remains addressing the problems facing Lagos residents.
During the interview, he demonstrated his new ability by responding in Yoruba when a presenter greeted him in the language, saying “Mo ki gbogbo yin,” which means “I greet all of you.”
The candidate said challenges including flooding, housing shortages and traffic gridlock affect Lagos residents regardless of their ethnic background.
He emphasised the need to tackle these shared problems that strip residents of dignity and undermine the state’s quality of life.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of criticism during the 2023 Lagos election when Rhodes-Vivour’s Yoruba skills became a political issue.
At that time, he acknowledged understanding Yoruba but admitted he was not fluent, attributing the gap to his mixed heritage, upbringing and time spent outside Nigeria.
His remark that he did not “think in Yoruba” drew sharp criticism on the campaign trail.
He subsequently said he had hired a Yoruba teacher and was working to improve, believing better command of the language would help him connect with people.
Supporters including Afenifere and Eko Forum defended his Lagos credentials, rejecting suggestions he didn’t belong to the state based on his maternal Igbo ancestry or language ability.
Rhodes-Vivour ran as the Labour Party candidate in 2023 and came third behind winner Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC and Jandor of the PDP.
He is now pursuing the ADC ticket for the 2027 race.
