Shocking | Friends Tie Man on Top of Casket in Tiko Town, Cameroon

It was a scorching afternoon in Tiko Town, a small but bustling community nestled in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. The dusty roads echoed with the familiar roar of motorcycle engines, but on this particular day, something was different something both solemn and surreal.

A long convoy of motorbikes was seen weaving slowly through the streets, drawing the attention of townspeople and passersby. At first glance, it looked like a typical funeral procession—common in this part of Cameroon, where communities often honor the dead with vibrant send-offs. But as the riders approached, something unexpected came into view: atop a wooden casket strapped to a tricycle platform sat a man his body eerily still, arms tied to his sides, head drooped. He was tied tightly to the casket… as though dead himself.

Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd.

“Why is the body on top of the casket?” one woman asked, clutching her wrapper tighter.

“Is that a corpse or someone alive?” another murmured.

The strange scene immediately sparked speculation across the region—and soon after, across social media. Photos of the man tied to the casket went viral, with captions ranging from curious to outraged. Many questioned the cultural propriety and the logic: Shouldn’t the body be inside the casket? Is this some sort of dark joke?

As the digital dust settled, more details began to emerge.

The deceased was a well-known motorcycle taxi rider an Okada man beloved by his community, both in Tiko and his hometown where he was to be buried. According to those close to him, he was more than just a rider; he was a brother, a friend, and a mentor to many of the younger bikers who saw the motorcycle not just as transport but as a way of life.

The man tied atop the casket? He wasn’t dead at all.

Several sources claimed he was a fellow rider and close friend of the deceased, who had volunteered—or was paid—to perform this bizarre act. Whether out of deep personal respect or as part of an inside tradition, no one could say for sure. One version of the story said he was playing dead as a symbolic gesture—a living tribute to his fallen brother-in-arms. Another said he was an actor, paid to dramatize the funeral for attention or cultural shock value. But among the Okada riders themselves, there seemed to be a different interpretation.

One rider, who chose to remain anonymous, said, “It’s our way of saying, ‘we’re still riding together, even in death.’ It’s not madness it’s loyalty. Respect.”

In many African communities, funerals are not just farewells they are cultural ceremonies, stages for symbolism and storytelling. In Tiko, where the motorcycle culture runs deep, riders have formed their own brotherhoods, often marked by loyalty, shared struggle, and unwritten rituals.

While some criticized the stunt as insensitive or unorthodox, others praised the riders for their creativity and heartfelt display of solidarity.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” said a local elder. “It may not be tradition, but that doesn’t mean it’s disrespect. It’s their way. The youth mourn differently these days.”

As the convoy made its way toward the deceased’s home village for burial, the image of the living man tied to the casket remained etched in the minds of everyone who saw it raising questions not just about death, but about how we honor those who walk life’s journey with us.

Whether an act of absurdity or a rare moment of raw human expression, one thing was clear: for the Okada riders of Tiko, brotherhood didn’t end with the final ride. Sometimes, it climbed up and laid itself bareon top of a casket, arms bound, eyes closed, holding space for grief in the only way they knew how.