ADC’s Rhodes-Vivour: I’ve hired a teacher, I can speak and campaign in Yoruba now

The Lagos State governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has said he has learnt Yoruba and can now campaign in the language as he seeks to govern the state.

Rhodes-Vivour, who spoke during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday, said he had engaged a Yoruba teacher and developed his ability to speak the language, according to Punch.

“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.

He added that Lagos’ challenges, including flooding, the housing crisis and traffic congestion, affected residents regardless of ethnicity.

The comments follow controversy over his Yoruba fluency during the 2023 election, when he admitted he did not “think in Yoruba.” Rhodes-Vivour, who has mixed Yoruba and Igbo heritage, finished third in that race behind Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Abdul-Azeez Adediran.