Consty Eka, African Media Pioneer, Dies
The African entertainment and media landscape is mourning the loss of Consty Eka, a pioneering Cameroonian media producer and cultural figure whose influence stretched far beyond national borders. His passing, confirmed by multiple media outlets and reactions from artists and public figures across the continent, has sparked an outpouring of tributes from the worlds of music, television, and politics.
According to reports, Consty Eka died in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, following a brief illness. While details surrounding his final days remain limited, the news of his death spread rapidly across social media, where entertainers, journalists, and fans described him as a rare bridge between African creativity and mass media visibility.
Though often mistakenly described solely as a music producer, Consty Eka’s legacy runs deeper. He was, first and foremost, a media architect. Born Constantin Ekani Mebenga, he rose to prominence during an era when African entertainment struggled for structured platforms and international recognition. Through television, radio, and event production, he helped shape how African music and personalities were presented to audiences at home and abroad.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Eka became a familiar face on television, producing and hosting influential programs that spotlighted African musicians, performers, and cultural conversations at a time when such exposure was limited. He later expanded into building media outlets and production platforms that elevated emerging talent and amplified African voices within the global entertainment conversation.
Artists who benefited from this exposure have been among the most vocal in mourning his death. Congolese music icon Koffi Olomidé described him, according to sources, as a generous mentor and a man who believed deeply in African artistry. Cameroonian singer Lady Ponce echoed similar sentiments, calling his passing a major loss to African show business and crediting him with opening doors that many artists now walk through freely.
Beyond entertainment, Consty Eka was also respected for his professionalism and integrity. Legal expert and public figure Akere Muna paid tribute to him as a disciplined communicator who understood the power of media to influence culture responsibly. Such reactions underline how Eka’s impact transcended fame, touching politics, public discourse, and cross-cultural dialogue.
Colleagues describe him as someone who understood entertainment not merely as spectacle, but as storytelling and identity. Through award ceremonies, television formats, and cultural programming, he helped document African creativity during pivotal decades of change. Many of today’s popular African media structures, according to industry observers, mirror ideas that Eka championed long before digital platforms dominated the scene.
In recent years, he remained a respected behind-the-scenes figure, advising, producing, and occasionally reappearing in public discussions around African media development. While he may not have been as visible to younger audiences, his fingerprints remain evident across the continent’s entertainment ecosystem.
His death has reignited conversations about preserving Africa’s media history and recognizing the pioneers who laid foundations before streaming, social media, and global algorithms reshaped visibility. For many, Consty Eka represents a generation that built platforms with limited resources but unlimited belief in African talent.
As tributes continue to circulate and condolences pour in from Cameroon and beyond, one theme stands out clearly. Consty Eka was not just a producer or presenter. He was a connector. A curator of culture. A man who understood that African stories deserved to be seen, heard, and respected on their own terms.
His passing leaves a void, but his influence lives on in the artists he promoted, the platforms he created, and the cultural confidence he helped nurture.
