Many Nigerians online heard about Eric Obuh (a.k.a Vocal Slender)’s rise to prominence after the BBC’s Welcome to Lagos Documentary that aired last April. His hit single, Owo Yapa became an inspirational anthem soon after for many Nigerians and has since garnered about 86,000 plus views on You Tube.

But what has Vocal Slender been up to since the BBC documentary aired last year? CP-Africa’s Nmachi Jidenma catches up with Vocal Slender where they discuss a wide range of issues ranging from how the documentary affected his life to what the Nigerian government can do to provide more opportunities for the masses.



Nmachi Jidenma: Thanks for joining us at CP-Africa Slender. Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself?

Vocal Slender: I am Eric Obuh a.k.a Vocal Slender,born into the family of five children;two girls and three boys

Nmachi: How did Nigerians respond to your album, Send them Come? How many CDs were you able to sell both online and offline?

Vocal Slender: Actually I have not release an album yet, apart from the few who know me as a musician before the documentary and those who watched the B.B.C documentary. As per CD sales, I dont know the number that has been sold, but any number they told me is what I will collect.

Nmachi: How has the BBC documentary affected your life for the better?

Vocal Slender: It is wonderful… it has really affected my life positively,it brought me into limelight ,but the money is not coming yet.

Nmachi: So I listened to this interview you had with the Nigerian Village Square where you mentioned that you didn’t know many people were going to see the video. I was shocked. Please share that with our audience? How did they find you and how did you feel when you found out that Nigerians were going to see the video?

Vocal Slender: It was one fateful Tuesday, I was in the dump,there was no work so I was busy rehearsing my songs,when some white guys walked up to me and said they like my song,that they like to film me working. At first I refused because I didnt want people to know that I work in the dump, and I didnt know that Nigerians will see the video, but the truth is, it is only few Nigerians that watched the video, either through pirated copies or on the internet.

More here: http://www.cp-africa.com/2011/01/13/vocal-slender-bbc-documentary-condescending-displayed-hardworking-nigerians-check-cpafricas-exclusive-interview-vocal-slender-find-catch-industry-moves/