Nigerians divided as woman reportedly rejects marriage proposal over refusal of lover to bend the knee
By Habiba Kaita
Recently there has been an ongoing buzz on social media where a post went viral across different social media platforms because a young woman reportedly turned down her boyfriend’s marriage proposal because he refused to kneel.
The story, might as well be a skit, notwithstanding exploded online, sparking heated debates about tradition, respect and the socio-cultural significance of kneeling to propose.
Kneeling during a proposal has become a social norm in today’s society but it can be traced back to medieval Europe, where knights knelt down to show loyalty and devotion to their lords.
As the centuries passed, this gesture became a symbol of humility, respect and romantic commitment. By the Victorian era, kneeling was popularized through art and literature, but the one we know today was cemented by 20th century Hollywood movies, particularly romantic comedies.
Reactions online were divided. Some agreed to the woman’s actions, saying kneeling is an important gesture when it comes to proposals, others called it unnecessary drama, arguing that it was his intention that mattered not his gesture, a few even speculated that it was a staged skit designed to go viral.
One user on Instagram @diartyofdinma_ argued, “Kneeling down isn’t the issue. Why go through all this public display if you won’t complete it by kneeling?”
Another user @iamtberry agreed strongly, saying, “Kneeling is absolutely necessary. It shows you’re dropping your ego and showing respect and adoration for a woman. You aren’t too big for that.”
Both not every one agrees. An instagram user @iam.ceezar dismissed the idea entirely saying, “Those that said he should kneel are he-goats.”
Another user @elvingilugwuodo added, “Men wey no go kneel down plenty ooo. Our fathers married right without that.”
X (Twitter) user @fortunateozuyak wrote, “Both of them have stupid pride… It’s cool and romantic to copy the West, but it’s not neccessary a must. One could have lowered their pride for the other.”
One tik tok user @Kojo commented on a repost, “Is this scripted or something?” while @Goody_bag added, “Don’t lose real love over empty tradition.”
This leaves us wondering, is kneeling just a gesture or something deeper? Should love be measured by how closely it follows rituals? And most importantly, would you say yes to someone who refused to kneel?
