(VIDEO) Drama As Lagos ADC Governorship Candidate, Rhodes-Vivour Struggles To Answer Yoruba Question At The Platform

There was a tense moment at the 2026 Independence Day edition of The Platform in Lagos after the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, appeared to struggle with a question posed in relation to the Yoruba language and culture.

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The incident occurred during a question-and-answer session at the event on Thursday, October 1, when an audience member asked Rhodes-Vivour what he would do to preserve Yoruba culture, tradition and language in Lagos if elected governor.

The participant referenced Rhodes-Vivour’s recent interview with Channels Television journalist, Seun Okinbaloye, and expressed concern over the declining ability of many children in Lagos to speak Yoruba.

The questioner also cited countries such as China and India, where indigenous languages remain widely spoken, before asking Rhodes-Vivour to explain his plans for preserving Yoruba in Lagos.

However, when Rhodes-Vivour began responding in English, some members of the audience protested and demanded that he answer the question in Yoruba.

The development briefly caused a stir at the venue, with the ADC candidate attempting to calm the audience before proceeding with his response. Reports from the event indicate that he later spoke some Yoruba during his response.

Rhodes-Vivour acknowledged the importance of Yoruba language, saying Lagos is part of Yorubaland and that language plays an important role in preserving the culture and heritage of the people.

“Let me start by saying this is Lagos; Lagos is Yorubaland. No doubt about it. Language is important, language carries the culture and heritage of our people,” he said.

He, however, shifted the focus to governance, saying his primary responsibility as a governorship candidate was to address the challenges facing Lagos residents.

Rhodes-Vivour also criticised the state’s education system, alleging that pupils had been punished for speaking Yoruba in primary and secondary schools under successive administrations led by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Today, we’ve had 20-something years of the APC governance but till now, if you speak Yoruba in primary schools or secondary school, they will say it is vernacular and they beat and punish you,” he said.

He subsequently urged the questioner to also direct some of the concerns to representatives of the Lagos State Government who were present at the event.

The episode comes less than two weeks after Rhodes-Vivour said he had learnt Yoruba and could now campaign in the language ahead of the 2027 Lagos governorship election.