Author and social commentator Reno Omokri has triggered a fresh debate on social media with his views on the practice of men kneeling to propose marriage, describing it as an imported custom that does not originate from African tradition.
According to Omokri, the gesture of a man going down on one knee is a European cultural practice that has gradually been adopted by some Black Africans.
He argued that if people are going to borrow customs, then they should be adopted in their entirety rather than selectively.
“A man kneeling to propose to a girl is a cultural practice that some Black Africans borrowed from Europe. It is not our culture,” he wrote. “But if you must borrow, then borrow completely. The kneeling is just half of the borrowing. Please fact-check me: In Europe, the bride’s father also pays for the wedding.”
Omokri went further to advise young men to question the double standard. He stressed that men should not feel obliged to kneel for a woman during a proposal unless the woman’s family is also willing to uphold the European tradition of financing the wedding.
“As a young Black African man, do not kneel to any woman to propose,” Omokri cautioned. “However, if she insists that you kneel before she can accept your proposal, then insist that her father must also pay for the wedding. After all, what is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander!”
