Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has hired a Yoruba teacher. The Lagos ADC governorship candidate is learning the language. He plans to campaign in Yoruba for the 2027 election. He said this in a television interview. He placed second in the 2023 governorship race.
Lagos politics has always rewarded cultural fluency. Yoruba is the state's dominant language. Candidates who speak it connect more easily with grassroots voters. In 2023, Rhodes-Vivour faced criticism over his Yoruba. He spent part of his upbringing abroad. Critics said he was not fluent enough. He still won a substantial share of the vote, particularly in urban areas. But critics used the language gap against him. He has now addressed it directly. In 2025, he earned a Yoruba chieftaincy title. The title signalled a deeper engagement with traditional institutions.
Rhodes-Vivour said his main focus remains flooding, housing shortages and traffic. Those issues affect all Lagos residents, regardless of language. He said he wants to communicate his plans in Yoruba. The move is practical. Lagos is a diverse city. Many residents speak Yoruba, English, Pidgin or other languages. Campaigning in Yoruba signals respect for the dominant culture. It also helps with older voters who are more comfortable in the language.
Viewers reacted with a mix of support and scepticism. Supporters praised his effort to connect culturally. They said it shows he is serious about Lagos. Sceptics questioned the timing. They noted that he lost in 2023 and is only now learning the language. Some said language is not the problem. The problem is policy and political structure. Others said it is never too late to learn.
Winners: Rhodes-Vivour, who gains a cultural connection. Yoruba teachers, who earn fees. Traditional institutions, which gain relevance. Voters who prefer Yoruba, who get a candidate who speaks their language.
Losers: Critics who used his fluency against him. Sceptics who see the move as opportunistic. The electorate, if language distracts from substantive policy debate. Other candidates who do not speak Yoruba fluently, who may face comparison.
Bottom Line: Learning Yoruba is a smart political move. It addresses a vulnerability. But language does not fix flooding, housing or traffic. Rhodes-Vivour can campaign in Yoruba. He still needs to convince Lagos voters that his policies will work.