CONSTY EKA FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO THE SUMMIT OF AFRICAN BROADCASTING
Born Constantin Ekani Mebenga, Consty Eka rose over the decades to become one of the most influential figures in Francophone African audiovisual media. Originally from Cameroon, he began his professional journey at the national broadcaster, where his natural charisma and mastery of televised storytelling quickly set him apart from his peers.
A journalist, host, and later a visionary producer, he gradually became a reference point in the art of television presentation across Central Africa. His professional relocation to Côte d’Ivoire marked a decisive turning point in his career, enabling him to firmly establish himself within the West African media landscape and connect with a broader continental audience.
Founder of the CEKAM Group, the television network CEN TV, and Voltage 2 Radio, Consty Eka distinguished himself as a media entrepreneur committed to offering African talent platforms aligned with local cultural realities.
A pioneer of the modern African talk show format, he notably created the cult program Confidences, broadcast on TV5 International, as well as the Africar Music Awards in 1992, a forward-thinking initiative designed to celebrate African musical excellence at a time when continental recognition platforms were scarce.
In 2022, he was honored in Abidjan with the prestigious Legend of Audiovisual Communication Award at the ASCOM Awards, recognizing over three decades of dedication to African public discourse and image-making.
Consty Eka passed away on February 16, 2026, in Abidjan following a sudden illness, leaving behind a legacy that transcends national borders and is now etched into the history of African media.
TRIBUTE: THE MAN WHO GAVE A FACE TO AFRICAN VOICES
Some voices inform. Others transform.
For more than three decades, Consty Eka belonged firmly to the latter category. On a continent where images were too often produced elsewhere and stories narrated by outsiders, he understood long before the rise of digital platforms and independent studios that Africa needed to reclaim control over its own narrative.
From television studios in Douala and Yaoundé to those in Abidjan, he was not merely a presenter: he was the mirror through which an entire generation of journalists and creators learned to see themselves. As early as the late 1980s, his programs redefined the codes of African television, blending social proximity, professional rigor, and cultural awareness.
The nickname “King of Television” was not media flattery.
It was popular recognition.
Through his programs, media ventures, and cultural initiatives, Consty Eka helped nurture the emergence of dozens of major figures in African journalism, music, and entertainment. He offered a stage to the invisible, a voice to the marginalized, and a showcase to talents long confined to the margins.
Tributes from Cameroon to Côte d’Ivoire, from the Congo and beyond, reflect an influence that far exceeded national borders. Artists, journalists, academics, and everyday citizens alike salute a mentor, a brother, and a builder. For many, he was the familiar voice accompanying family evenings; for others, the silent role model who inspired lifelong vocations.
In a rapidly evolving media world, Consty Eka will be remembered as the man who refused to allow African television to become a mere relay station. He turned it into a space for creation, debate, and transmission.
Today, the throne is empty. But the legacy remains.
