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Gbadebo Chinedu Rhodes-Vivour, who also goes by the nickname GRV, is a Nigerian who was born on March 8th, 1983. He is an architect, activist, and politician. In the forthcoming 2023 Lagos State gubernatorial election, he will be representing the Labour Party (LP) as their gubernatorial candidate for Lagos State. In the 2019 Nigerian Senate elections in Lagos State, he was the senatorial candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Lagos West senatorial district.

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Background and Education

Rhodes-Vivour was born in Lagos Island and spent his childhood in Ikeja. He received his primary and secondary education from Chrisland schools up to JSS3 before moving to Paris to attend Ecol Artive Berlin for his secondary education. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Nottingham and a master’s degree in the same field from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 2008, after completing his first master’s degree, he participated in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, which he finished in 2009. He later obtained a second master’s degree in Research and Public Policy from the University of Lagos (UNILAG). Rhodes-Vivour comes from a family of lawyers. His parents are Barrister Olawale and Mrs Nkechi Rhodes-Vivour, and his uncle is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and jurist, Bode Rhodes-Vivour. His grandfather was the late Judge Akinwunmi Rhodes-Vivour, and he is the great-grandson of Steven Bankole Rhodes, the second-ever indigenous judge appointed in Nigeria.

Activism

Rhodes-Vivour is actively involved in several civil society causes. He is the leader of Nigerians Against GMO, which is a group that advocates against the proliferation of Genetically Modified Foods in Nigeria. In 2016, the group intensified their protests against Monsanto’s claims that GMOs are safe, and they challenged both the Nigerian Minister of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina and the multinational company. The group believes that GMOs pose a threat to the health and well-being of Nigerians.

In 2017, Rhodes-Vivour and Nnimmo Bassey, another prominent activist, led a march of about 2,000 people to the Senate to advocate for the protection of the environment against degradation. Rhodes-Vivour is passionate about the importance of history in Nigeria’s school curriculum, and he campaigns for its inclusion as a subject. In 2022, Rhodes-Vivour partnered with WellaHealth, a healthcare provider, to offer free health checks and insurance to one million people in Lagos who have a Voter’s card. The initiative was in commemoration of World Malaria Day and was aimed at encouraging people to obtain their Voter’s card to enable them to vote in the upcoming elections. The partnership aimed to provide access to healthcare to those who might not have otherwise had access to it, thus improving their quality of life.

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Career

He worked with Franklin Ellis Architects when he was in the UK. On returning to Nigeria, he worked with SISA, Cliff Consulting now called Building Partnership CCP and Patrick Wayi, before venturing fully into politics.

Political Career

Gbadebo Chinedu Rhodes-Vivour, also known as GRV, was among the first set of young people to benefit from the Not Too Young to Run bill. In 2017, he ran for the chairmanship of Ikeja Local Government Area under the platform of the KOWA party. Rhodes-Vivour lost to the candidate of the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) and attributed his defeat to the absence of godfatherism within his party. Two years later, in 2019, Rhodes-Vivour contested for the Lagos West Senatorial District seat under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). His campaign promises focused on revamping infrastructure within the district and removing the incumbent senator whom he claimed was more interested in pursuing a gubernatorial bid in Ogun State than focusing on Lagos West. In the final polls, Rhodes-Vivour came in second with 39.40% of the votes, losing to the incumbent senator and contestant under the APC, Adeola ‘Yayi’ Olamilekan, who received 41.38% of the votes. Rhodes-Vivour contested the result in court, citing electoral violence and disruptions as reasons why the result should not be valid. However, the court dismissed his claims, upholding the election of his opponent.

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Rhodes-Vivour is currently the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the upcoming 2023 Lagos State gubernatorial election. Initially, he was a nominee for the PDP but withdrew from the party just before the primary elections were held. Rhodes-Vivour joined the LP and contested during the substitute election held to choose the substantive candidate of the party. He emerged victorious, defeating former APC chieftain Moshood Salvador by getting 111 votes to Salvador’s 102 votes.

Personal Life

Rhodes-Vivour is wedded to Dr Ify Rhodes-Vivour (formerly known as Ify Aniebo), who is a specialist in molecular genetics. She is the progeny of Augustine Aniebo, who was a former military administrator in Kogi and Borno states. Source: Wikipedia Featured Image Source: Premium Times NG

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This article was first published on 4th March 2023

nnaemeka-emmanuel

Nnaemeka is an academic scholar with a degree in History and International Studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is also a creative writer, content creator, storyteller, and social analyst.