{"id":23158,"date":"2018-01-19T16:21:30","date_gmt":"2018-01-19T15:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/?page_id=23158"},"modified":"2026-09-03T09:37:55","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T08:37:55","slug":"about-nyaknno-osso","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/about-nyaknno-osso\/","title":{"rendered":"About Nyaknno Osso"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 ABOUT CHIEF PROMOTER<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mr. Nyaknno Osso<\/strong> is the Editor-in-Chief of the Biographical Legacy & Research Foundation (BLERF). He is widely acknowledged as the pioneer of mass media research and documentation in Nigeria following his groundbreaking publication in 1990,\u00a0Newswatch Who\u2019s Who<\/strong>\u00a0in Nigeria, the first-ever authoritative, comprehensive and award-winning Biographical Encyclopedia.<\/p>\n

A graduate of the University of Ibadan (Library School, Class of 1975), he specialises in Journalism Librarianship and has deep international exposure in Journalism, information and knowledge management.<\/p>\n

Mr. Osso<\/strong>\u00a0worked in the public service as the Principal Librarian\/ Researcher, Cross River State Newspapers Corporation from 1975 to 1984. He joined the management team of\u00a0Newswatch Magazine<\/strong>\u00a0in 1984 as the first senior management staff and rose to the rank of Chief of Research. On disengagement in 1991, he was appointed\u00a0Consultant Librarian<\/strong> by Newswatch. He later founded OSSDATA\u00a0<\/strong>Services Limited, an information management and marketing organization which specialises in Information, Library, Archival and Media research management.<\/p>\n

From 1999 to 2007, he served as the Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Library, Research and Documentation. Mr Osso was invited to Abeokuta, Ogun state to serve as the pioneer Executive Secretary\/Project Coordinator of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Foundation (OOPLF). He disengaged from OOPLF in March 2013.<\/p>\n

Mr Osso<\/strong>\u00a0is married to\u00a0Angela Ekeh<\/strong>. The union is blessed with three divinely gifted children.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

COMMENTS, REVIEWS AND TESTIMONIALS ON NYAKNNO OSSO<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cNyaknno Osso, the Newswatch Librarian \u2013 the best in the business.\u201d<\/p>\n

–in<\/em> Born to Run: The story of Dele Giwa by Dele Olojede and Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo (1987) (p.vi).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cNyaknno Osso, Newswatch Chief Librarian\u2026is an excellent Librarian. We used to call him the two-minute Librarian, meaning that he could get you what you wanted in two minutes or give you an idea of where to find it within that time frame\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

–in <\/em>Newswatch Best, edited by Ray Ekpu (p.xi).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cAt Newswatch\u2026one of the most remarkable characters in the team was Nyaknno Osso, the Librarian\u2026Osso loved information. He was not just a keeper of books. He was the governor of our Treasure House, the Library.\u201d<\/p>\n

–by<\/em> Dare Babarinsa (A Unique Experience) in Jogging in the Jungle: The Newswatch Story, edited by Ray Ekpu (2010) (p.210).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cNewswatch Library was a treasure trove. Nyaknno Osso, the Chief Librarian\/Researcher, held court with pride. He was proactive in his relationship with the editorial team\u2026Mr Osso\u2019s professionalism was a big blessing for those who cared to put it to use.\u201d<\/p>\n

–by <\/em>Mercy Ette (A Publication of Record) in Jogging in the Jungle: The Newswatch Story, edited by Ray Ekpu (2010) (p.224-225).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cNyaknno Osso, the celebrated newspaper Librarian\u2026started his career at the Nigerian Chronicle in Calabar.\u201d<\/p>\n

–by <\/em>Anietie Usen (He Turned Up with PR Stuff) in Jogging in the Jungle: the Newswatch Story, edited by Ray Ekpu (p.237).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cAbout mid1980s, I started a conversation with Nyaknno Osso, a Librarian by training who had worked for Newswatch Magazine, on keeping what could be kept, restoring what could be restored and preserving what could be preserved (Presidential records and materials)\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026As soon as the possibility of my venturing into politics became a reality, Nyaknno joined me. On my inauguration, he was one of the first appointed as special assistants and remained so until the end of my second term in 2007. His assignment was simple \u2013 to continue what we had started to ensure availability of records and to promote institutional memory. It was much later into my first term that the idea of a Presidential Library entered into our consideration.<\/p>\n

By the beginning of the second term we had zeroed in on the concept of a Presidential Library \u00e0 la America. Nyaknno was to pursue the idea as a programme to determine what we should collect, collate, preserve and store. He was also to visit the US to see and learn first-hand the process of establishing a Presidential Library.\u201d<\/p>\n

–by <\/em>former President, Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR) in Olusegun Obasanjo: My Watch (Now and Then) (Prestige, 2014, vol.3) (p.83-84).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cMr Nyaknno Osso is one of Africa\u2019s most distinguished Librarians.\u201d<\/p>\n

–by <\/em>Celebrated Architect, Chukwudi Eze (alumnus of prestigious Columbia University, New York, USA). Nigeria Needs More Presidential Libraries in The Nation, Sunday, April 2, 2017 (p.13). <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>\u201cOsso is a living proof that the best can come out of Nigeria. He crowned his works at Newswatch with the publication of Newswatch Who\u2019s Who, a book noted for its comprehensiveness and accuracy. It was an instant hit. The publication stirred the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

–by <\/em>Peter Ishaka (The Man Who Loves Books) in Thisday, The Saturday Newspaper, July 11, 1998 (p.18).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>\u201cDescribed as \u201cthe Librarian Extra-ordinary\u201d who works with the quiet efficiency of a desktop computer, Nyaknno Osso is currently working towards the publication of the most authoritative and up-to-date WHO\u2019s WHO in Nigeria.\u201d<\/p>\n

–by <\/em>Nduka Otiorio (Towards as Authoritative Who\u2019s Who in Nigeria) in Post Express, August 15-21, 1998 (p.15).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cUnderstandably so, Nyaknno Osso has left a mark on the minds of many people who have worked with him as one of the best Journalism Librarians in this part of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

–Seye Kehinde, Publisher, City People in City People, October 21, 1998 (p.17).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cToday, Nyaknno Osso is acclaimed the best Journalism Librarian in Nigeria\u2026For as things stand, he is likely to retain that title unchallenged well into the next millennium\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

-by Ufot Essien (Here Comes Mr Who\u2019s Who) in Thisday, August 7, 1998 (p.5).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cDear Nyak,<\/p>\n

Let me congratulate you for winning the NNMC Literary Prize 1990, an award organised under the auspices of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). I had no doubt in my mind that\u2026Newswatch Who\u2019s Who in Nigeria, was several cuts above others in its category. The NNMC has confirmed my rating of the book\u2026Congratulations again.\u201d<\/p>\n

–Ray Ekpu, Editor-in-Chief\/ Chief Executive Newswatch, March 21, 1991.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cDear Mr Osso,<\/p>\n

For the work of this Embassy, your publication \u201cNewswatch Who\u2019s Who in Nigeria\u201d is of extreme importance. Since my arrival in Lagos\u2026I am using this book almost daily for my information.\u201d<\/p>\n

–Karl Kohler, Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires Embassy, Federal Republic of Germany, June 13, 1995.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cNewswatch Manager of the Year and Certificate for Distinguished Performance (1989),<\/p>\n

This award goes to Mr. Nyaknno Osso, the Librarian who set up Newswatch Library and has worked tirelessly ever since to make it the Best Newspaper Library in this part of the world. He is energetic and has proved over the years to be one of the few whose second marriage is to their profession.\u201d<\/p>\n

–Yakubu Mohammed, Managing Editor, Newswatch.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Nyaknno Osso, Librarian, researcher, author was nominated by Enlightened Nigerians for THE SOURCE MAGAZINE (Special Edition) as one of the 100 Outstanding Nigerians in 1997 to mark the 37th<\/sup> anniversary of Nigeria\u2019s Independence.<\/p>\n

Osso was nominated for making outstanding positive contributions in his field of human endeavour\u2026geared towards uplifting the quality of NIGERIAN Civilisation\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

–THE SOURCE MAGAZINE, LAGOS.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cThis issue of the magazine, the 53rd<\/sup> issue, makes the magazine one year old in circulation\u2026We are publishing a 10-page index in the magazine as an extra service to our readers. This is the first time in Nigeria that this has been done\u2026This is the brainchild of Nyaknno Osso, the Researcher\/Librarian, who is probably the best Journalism Librarian in Nigeria.\u201d<\/p>\n

–Ray Ekpu, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Newswatch, February 3, 1986.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 ABOUT CHIEF PROMOTER Mr. Nyaknno Osso is the Editor-in-Chief of the Biographical Legacy & Research Foundation (BLERF). He is widely acknowledged as the pioneer of mass media research and documentation in Nigeria following his groundbreaking publication in 1990,\u00a0Newswatch Who\u2019s Who\u00a0in Nigeria, the first-ever authoritative, comprehensive and award-winning Biographical Encyclopedia. A graduate of the University […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23158","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23158"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23158\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27649,"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23158\/revisions\/27649"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}