Gbadebo Chinedu Rhodes-Vivour (born march 8, 1983) famously known as GRV is a Nigerian architect, activist, and politician.

He is the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour party (LP) for Lagos State in the upcoming 2023 Lagos State gubernatorial election.

He was the senatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Lagos West senatorial district in the 2019 Nigerian Senate elections in Lagos State.

Facts About GRV

• Full Name: Gbadebo Chinedu Rhodes-Vivour
• Stage Name: GRV
• Born: 8th, March 1983
• Age: 40 years old (2023)
• Place Of Birth: Lagos Island
• State Of Origin: Lagos State
• Nationality: Nigerian
• Parents: Olawale Rhodes-Vivour (father), Nkechi Rhodes-Vivour (mother)
• Spouse: Ifeyinwa Aniebo
• Alma mater: the University of Nottingham, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT),
  The University of Lagos (UNILAG
• Occupation: Architect, politician, activist
• Net Worth: N/A

Early Life & Education

GRV was born as Gbadebo Chinedu Rhodes-Vivour on 8, March 1983 on the Island side part of Lagos state although he has raised in Ikeja the mainland side part of Lagos state.

He was born into a great law family of Vivour, He is the son of Barrister Olawale and Mrs. Nkechi Rhodes-Vivour.

His uncle, Bode Rhodes-Vivour is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and a jurist while the late Judge Akinwunmi Rhodes-Vivour is his grandfather. He is the great-grandson of Steven Bankole Rhodes, the second-ever indigenous judge appointed in Nigeria.

GRV had his elementary and junior secondary school education at Chrisland primary and secondary schools while he competed for his senior secondary school education at Ecol Artive Berlin, in Paris.

He has 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).

He partook in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2008 after, his first master, and completed it in 2009. He later attained a second master’s degree in Research and Public Policy; from the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

Career

Rhodes-Vivour 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.

He was one of the first beneficiaries of the Not Too Young To Run legislation. Rhodes-Vivour contested the Ikeja Local Government Area chairmanship under the KOWA party in 2017, Citing that the absence of godfatherism in the party made him contest under the platform. He lost to the candidate of the incumbent APC.

While in 2019, he contested for the senate seat to represent Lagos west under the PDP. His campaign points were to revamp the infrastructure within the district and well as to get out the incumbent who he terms an “absentee senator spending more resources pursuing a futile governorship bid in Ogun State, rather than focus on Lagos West that has already given him their mandate”.

He came second in the final polls, losing to the incumbent senator and contestant under the erstwhile ruling party APC, Adeola ‘Yayi’ Olamilekanola, by 243,516 votes to Adeola’s 323,817. Adeola received 41.38% of the votes, while Rhodes-Vivour received 39.40%.

He contested the result in court, citing electoral violence and disruptions as reasons why the result should not be valid. However, the court deemed that not to be enough and upheld the election of his opponent.

He is the Labour party gubernatorial candidate for the upcoming 2023 Lagos State gubernatorial election. He was initially one of the nominees gearing up to contest under the PDP but pulled out just before the primary election was held.

He cross-carpeted to the Labour party, contesting during a substitute election through which the substantive candidate of the party was to be chosen, and came out victorious, getting 111 votes, to defeat former All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Moshood Salvador, who got 102 votes.

Personal Life

Rhodes-Vivour got married to Dr. Ify Rhodes-Vivour (Ifeyinwa Aniebo), a molecular geneticist by profession, who is the daughter of Augustine Aniebo the former military administrator to Kogi and Borno states.