YOREM Defends Rhodes-Vivour, Rejects Language Based Attacks as ‘Ethnic Politics’

The Yoruba Revolutionary Movement (YOREM) has come to the defence of African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour amid criticism over his reported inability to speak Yoruba fluently.

The group dismissed the criticism as “blackmail and propaganda,” alleging that supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were attempting to turn the candidate’s language proficiency and maternal ancestry into political weapons ahead of the Lagos governorship election.

YOREM stated its position in a statement titled “Culture, Language and the Hypocrisy of Ethnic Politics in Lagos,” signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Wale Balogun, and issued in Lagos on Sunday.

YOREM: Yoruba Identity Is More Than Language

Balogun acknowledged that language remains an important component of culture and identity but argued that fluency in Yoruba should not be treated as the sole measure of someone's cultural identity, loyalty to Lagos or political legitimacy.

“Language is therefore not merely a means of communication; it is a repository of identity and collective memory,” he said.

According to him, the decline of indigenous languages could weaken cultural consciousness, but identity should also be considered in the context of an individual's connection to a people's history, traditions, values and collective aspirations.

Against this backdrop, Balogun described the focus on Rhodes-Vivour’s Yoruba proficiency as “appalling and intellectually dishonest.”

“The APC propaganda machinery and its political data boys are making a spectacle of Gbadebo's language proficiency, as though fluency in Yoruba were the ultimate measure of Yoruba identity, political legitimacy or commitment to Lagos,” he said.

“It is not.”

Group Cites Rhodes-Vivour’s Cultural Identification

Balogun argued that Rhodes-Vivour had demonstrated what YOREM considers a connection to Yoruba culture and traditions.

He pointed to the candidate’s public appearances in Yoruba traditional attire, including the use of traditional caps, as evidence of his cultural identification.

He also cited Rhodes-Vivour’s public association with Ì????e, the indigenous Yoruba religious and cultural system.

According to Balogun, Yoruba traditionalists have also publicly defended Rhodes-Vivour’s Yoruba lineage and explained the basis for his Obalefun title.

The YOREM coordinator, however, argued that cultural identity should not be selectively deployed for electoral purposes.

“There is nothing wrong with Nigerians practising Christianity or Islam. Freedom of religion is fundamental,” he said.

“The issue is consistency.”

Balogun questioned the logic of challenging a person’s Yoruba identity because of limited fluency in the language while, according to him, political actors routinely embrace other religious and cultural influences.

“Culture should not become an electoral costume, and language should not become a weapon of ethnic exclusion,” he said.

‘Same Old ?m? Ìgbò Propaganda’

YOREM also accused political actors of reviving what Balogun described as ethnic narratives previously deployed against Rhodes-Vivour.

He referred to the 2023 Lagos governorship election, during which Rhodes-Vivour was reportedly labelled “?m? Ìgbò” because of his Igbo maternal heritage.

“This was primitive ethnic politics,” Balogun said.

He questioned why Rhodes-Vivour’s maternal Igbo background should be used to cast doubt on his loyalty to Lagos, particularly given the state’s long history of interaction and intermarriage among different ethnic communities.

Balogun cited the marriage of the late former Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu, who is from Imo State, as an example of inter ethnic relationships within Nigeria’s political class.

“So why should Gbadebo's Igbo maternal heritage suddenly become evidence that he cannot be trusted with the affairs of Lagos?” he asked.

“Why should marriage or maternal ancestry determine political loyalty?”

Group Warns Against ‘Ethnic Prison’

Balogun described Lagos as a cosmopolitan city with deep Yoruba historical and cultural roots but warned against using Yoruba identity as a basis for political exclusion.

He questioned whether former Lagos governor and current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, have consistently addressed Lagos residents in Yoruba during major public engagements.

“If language proficiency is to become the ultimate test of Yoruba identity and political legitimacy, the APC should apply its own standard consistently,” he said.

YOREM urged voters to shift the focus from ethnicity and language to governance and public policy.

‘What Does He Have to Offer Lagos?’

Balogun challenged voters to examine Rhodes-Vivour’s proposed solutions to the challenges facing Lagos rather than focus primarily on his linguistic abilities or ancestry.

“The real questions are: What does he have to offer Lagos? Can he provide better governance? Can he tackle flooding? Can he address the housing crisis? Can he improve transportation? Can he create opportunities for young Lagosians?” he asked.

He also urged voters to consider issues including the protection of public resources, accountability, transparency, preservation of Lagos’ history and heritage, and the possibility of an alternative to the political establishment.

YOREM Says Rhodes-Vivour Is Learning Yoruba

Balogun said Rhodes-Vivour had taken steps to improve his Yoruba, including reportedly engaging a Yoruba teacher and expressing an intention to campaign in the language.

“That effort should be encouraged, not ridiculed,” he said.

“A person who recognises a weakness and takes deliberate steps to correct it should be commended.”

The YOREM coordinator called on Yoruba voters to reject what he described as ethnic rhetoric and political manipulation and instead assess candidates based on their records, integrity, vision and policy proposals.

“The politics of saying ‘Gbadebo is ?m? Ìgbò’ because his mother is Igbo is as mischievous as saying that somebody is automatically a better Yoruba because he can speak Yoruba fluently,” he said.

“Yoruba identity is bigger than language alone. Yoruba civilisation is bigger than political propaganda. And the Yoruba people are bigger than politicians who exploit their identity for electoral advantage.”

Balogun urged Lagos residents to demand what he described as accountable, competent and development-focused leadership.

He concluded with the Yoruba expression “Yorùbá ò ponu,” which he translated as meaning that Yoruba people are not stupid.

The statement was also signed by Balogun in his capacity as Convener of M?kunnu K?ya and was issued in Lagos on October 4, 2026.