Di 39-year-old architect wey wan 'build' a new Lagos

Plenty interest dey on who go be di next govnor of di commercial capital of Nigeria, Lagos state. Candidates from different political parties dey battle to lead di state for di 2023 govnorship election wey go hold on 11 March, 2023.

Although Sixteen political parties present candidates for di gubernatorial election for Lagos State, sabi pipo say di battle go dey between di ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, di Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and di Labour Party (LP).

Di incumbent Govnor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu be flagbearer for di APC, Abdulazeez Olajide Adeniran wey pipo sabi as 'Jandor' be PDP flagbearer while di Labour Party candidate na Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.

For close to two decades, di ruling All Progressives Congress don dey govern Lagos state but for di just concluded presidential elections, di APC lose di state to Labour party, dis, sabi pipo say fit be indicator say some kain upset fit happun on Saturday. But e no too clear.

Wetin clear be say since di presidential electiona and di show wey Labour Party put up for dat election, nobody dey siddon fold hands as e be say anytin fit happun.

Aggressive campaigns don begin by di camp of di ruling party and e don even degenerate into ethnic divisions on social media.

Suddenly, di Labour Party candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour become hot topic of discussion for social media circle.

Pipo wan know who e be, wia e from, wetin be im antecedents and na pesin dem fit trust wit di fortunes of di state?

Who be Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour?

39-year-old Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour na architect, public policy expert plus politician.

Dem born am for 8 March 1983 to di Rhodes-Vivour family of Lagos. According to am, e be proud Lagosian, as im root and antecedents na from Lagos state.

Gbadebo come from di family of accomplished legal luminaries. Im father, Justice Olawale Rhodes-Vivour na former Supreme Court of Nigeria justice. Di late Judge Akinwunmi Rhodes-Vivour na im grandfather, e also be di great-grand son of Judge Steven Bankole Rhodes, di second ever indigenous judge Nigeria appoint.

Dem born Gbadebo for Lagos Island. E grow up and get im early years education for Lagos state before e travel go Paris, France for further studies.

For im university education, Gbadebo get B.Arch. from di University of Nottingham, e work for di architecture office of Franklin Ellis Architects, UK before e later go do im master’s degree from Massachusetts institute of technology (M.I.T), Boston, USA.

E come back Nigeria for im National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) duty for 2008-2009.

Sake of im interest for politics and activism, e go do im second Masters degree in Research and Public Policy for di University of Lagos (UNILAG).

For inside one exclusive interview wit BBC Pidgin, Gbadebo say as architect wey im be, im go "design Lagos wey go work for everybody."

E say im political journey don carry am waka round di state, e don go every wards and e know places wia dem neva enjoy good governance for many years, and dat na why im dey run for di govnorship role, to build Lagos, state wey go work for everybody.

Gbadebo also dey against dis tok wey dey go round say "Lagos na no man's land", E say pipo dey wey be real indigenes of Lagos, however, di state dey accommodate and welcome every tribe.

Gbadebo no be new face for politics. E don dey contest for political positions for some years now.

For 22 July 2016 , E contest for di position of di, Ikeja Local government Chairman on di platform of KOWA Party. E later join PDP officially on 8 March 2017. He emerge as di 2019 PDP Senatorial candidate to represent Lagos West district but e lose.

Di Labour party governorship candidate also na activist, as over di years e don dedicate imself to di fight against voter apathy and youth involvement in politics. E dey widely known for im participation for di Endsars movement for 2020, im voter registration drive and im work wit Yiaga Africa.

For im biography for im website, Gbadebo say as architect, im dey passionate about using architecture as a tool to solve societal and economic challenges.

E add say im don work wit both di American and Chinese goment in relation to rebuilding New Orleans afta hurricane Katrina and di Beijing Olympics respectively.

Gbadebo dey married to Dr. Ifeyinwa Rhodes-Vivour (PhD.), daughter of Lt. Col. Ifeanyi Aniebo from Umunze for Anambra State.

Dr. Ify na Oxford University graduate, an internationally renowned molecular geneticist and a thought leader for public health for Africa.

Labour Party fit win again?

Some go say Gbadebo dey ride on di popularity of di Labour Party Presidential candidate Peter Obi to try to win di election.

Obi come third for di presidential election, but win Lagos state. Obi don also reject di outcome of dat election and make claims say e win and e go get im mandate back for court.

But dat notwithstanding, e don ginger im followers to vote for Labour Party candidates from 'top to bottom' - for di govnorship and state house of assembly polls.

E no clear if im followers - di 'Obidients' wey feel say dia vote no count for last Saturday election go gree come out to vote again let alone vote Gbadebo.

But wetin clear be say, tins no be business as usual and to win Lagos on Saturday, e go be a tight race among di top candidates, but hopefully e no go be a bloody one.