Rhodes-Vivour Gbadebo Patrick

Chief Gbadebo Patrick Rhodes-Vivour, known as G.R.V., was born on 8 March 1983 in Lagos Island but raised primarily in Ikeja, both within Lagos State.

He attended Chrisland Schools up to JSS3 and later pursued his secondary education abroad at École Active Bilingue in Paris. His tertiary qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Nottingham and a master’s from MIT, followed by another master’s in Research and Public Policy from the University of Lagos.

Rhodes-Vivour comes from a distinguished Nigerian family with judicial roots, including his uncle as a former Supreme Court justice and great-grandnephew of Steven Bankole Rhodes, an early indigenous judge in Nigeria. His grandfather was Judge Akinwunmi Rhodes, while his great-great-grandfather was the 19th-century planter William Vivour.

He has held positions in architecture and entrepreneurship, including stints with Franklin Ellis Architects in the UK and firms like SISA/Kliff Consulting (now Building Partnership CCP) and Patrick Waheed Architects upon returning to Nigeria. He founded Spatial Tectonics, a design firm specializing in affordable construction methods.

A prominent advocate for civil society, Rhodes-Vivour co-founded Nigerians Against GMO, opposing genetically modified foods. His activism has included large-scale protests against environmental degradation and campaigns for the inclusion of history in Nigeria’s school curriculum.

His political career includes roles as a senator (2019) under the PDP for Lagos West, where he ran against incumbent Solomon Adeola, finishing second despite contesting electoral irregularities. He later served as a substitute Labour Party gubernatorial candidate in 2023, winning 111 votes over Moshood Abiola Salawu’s 102.

In April 2025, he was installed as the Obalefun of Lagos—a Yoruba chiefdom title—by traditional authorities. He has also worked on public health initiatives, such as free malaria screenings and voter registration drives in collaboration with WellaHealth.

His family background includes his marriage to Dr. Ify Rhodes-Vivour (née Aniebo), a molecular geneticist, daughter of former military administrators Augustine Aniebo.