 When creating the character , the producers envisioned Mr. Eko as " the one character who comes to terms with living on the island , and not being consumed with trying to get off " . Being introduced as a " <unk> " , a person on the tail section of the plane , Eko is a mysterious and complex character . MSNBC said the character is " always fighting a battle , an internal struggle as to whether the life he led was worthy of pride or shame " . <unk> Adewale Akinnuoye @-@ Agbaje explained Mr. Eko 's dedication to pushing the button in the hatch with seeing the hatch as the answer to the mystery of life . Described as a " natural leader " , Mr. Eko is a " strong , silent type , a man of few words " . Jon Bonné of MSNBC said , he is " a dude you don 't mess with " . When Akinnuoye @-@ Agbaje was at a bank in Hawaii , a fan said his character was a criminal pretending to be a priest , to which Akinnuoye @-@ Agbaje replied : " No , actually , I 'm a priest pretending to be a criminal " . 
