“I’ll Campaign in Yoruba”: GRV Responds to Language Question Ahead of 2027

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour says Yoruba will have a bigger place in his campaign for the 2027 Lagos governorship election.

The ADC candidate said he has employed a Yoruba teacher and intends to campaign in Yoruba, responding to questions about the language issue that featured prominently during his 2023 campaign.

The statement marks a notable change in emphasis for a politician whose ability to speak Yoruba became a major subject of political debate during the previous election.

From 2023 to 2027

Rhodes-Vivour contested the 2023 Lagos governorship election under the Labour Party and finished second behind the incumbent, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

This time, he is contesting under the African Democratic Congress. He has also previously said the 2027 campaign would require stronger grassroots organisation and broader political structures rather than relying solely on the support associated with Peter Obi and the Obidient movement.

His latest comments show another part of that strategy: cultural and linguistic connection.

More than language

Rhodes-Vivour did not present Yoruba as the only issue in the campaign. He argued that Lagos residents face problems that cut across ethnic and linguistic lines, particularly flooding, housing and traffic.

His point is significant because language can create cultural familiarity, but it does not automatically resolve questions about governance.

For voters, the wider political debate will still include infrastructure, housing, transportation, flooding, jobs, public services and the candidates’ records and programmes.

Why the Yoruba issue matters

Lagos is one of Nigeria’s most diverse political environments. A candidate seeking statewide support must communicate with communities that have different ethnic backgrounds, languages, social interests and political histories.

ADVERTISEMENT

For GRV, learning Yoruba appears designed to address one of the criticisms that followed his 2023 campaign while strengthening his direct engagement with voters.

It also shows how political campaigns evolve.

A controversy that once centred on language is now being answered with an attempt to master that language.

Whether voters consider that meaningful will ultimately depend on their own assessment of his wider programme, record and campaign.

For now, GRV’s message is that Yoruba will not be absent from his 2027 campaign, ValidViewNetwork reports.