Kojo Nnamdi

Kojo Nnamdi is a Washington institution, but he is also suspicious of people who become an institution so his motto is, “Never take yourself to seriously, you CAN BE WRONG!”

Kojo Nnamdi is a broadcast specialist who is famous to just about everyone in Washington. He is currently host of “The Kojo Nnamdi  Show” the weekday public affairs program on WAMU-FM 88.5 and the very popular “EVENING EXCHANGE,” seen on WHUT-TV. He was cited for an “Excellence in Broadcasting” award, by the Academy of Television Arts and Science (NATAS) in 1993.

He is currently at the height of a broadcasting career that began in 1973 at WHUR-FM radio in Washington, DC where he served as News Editor and News Director from 1973 to 1985.  During that time he led a news division that created the now legendary award-winning evening broadcast called  ”The Daily Drum,” the most comprehensive locally produce news show in Washington.  After creating an interview segment of the same newscast, which he hosted, it wasn’t long before Kojo’s interviewing skills began to attract attention and television came a calling. In 1985, what was then WHMM-TV in Washington, DC-now WHUT-TV, approached Kojo about hosting its little known daily talk show with a small viewing audience, “EVENING EXCHANGE.”  Since then the program, usually referred to as “Kojo’s Show, “ has risen dramatically in popularity and viewer ships.  Nnamdi’s reputation as an interviewer and talk show host are now legendary in the Washington, DC area.  He can be confrontational but civil, diplomatic but insistent, cerebral but humorous, and opinionated but restrained.  Kojo has a reputation for versatility and preparation, because of his ability to knowledgeably handle topics as far removed as Nuclear Non-proliferation policy and basketball playoff match ups.

He is interested in all of the social and political issues that are discussed in the nation’s capital, but he is equally intrigued by the concerns of the nation and the world outside of Washington.  For those longtime viewers of “EVENING EXCHANGE,” Kojo is known to be insistent on diversity both among his topics and his guests.  Under his guidance, “EVENING EXCHANGE,” is the only television show for which you will see Africa and Asia discussed just as often as Europe, the only program on which minority expert opinions are offered on non-minority issues, like science, medicine, the aerospace industry and telecommunications.

Mr. Nnamdi was honored by being named Washingtonian of the Year by the Washingtonian Magazine in January 2006.   Mr. Nnamdi has been chosen by the Library of Congress to serve as a Trustee at the Library of Congress’s Folklife Center.  Kojo has served as a member of the Cable Television Advisory Committee.  Mr. Nnamdi was born is Guyana and is a active member of GUYAID an organization devoted to helping children in the Caribbean nation of Guyana.

The Kojo Nnamdi Show