A romantic proposal inside a fancy restaurant has turned into a heated controversy after a young man chose not to go down on one knee while presenting an engagement ring to his girlfriend.

The well-dressed suitor, clad in a sharp African suit, had spared no effort in making the moment special.

The restaurant was beautifully decorated, and his girlfriend, stunning in a green jumpsuit, seemed set to enjoy what should have been a picture-perfect evening.

However, things quickly took a dramatic turn when the man brought out the ring but remained standing. His girlfriend, visibly upset, shouted:

“Why are you not kneeling when giving me the ring? Why can’t you kneel?”

The scene, captured on video, left many diners stunned.

The man, embarrassed, tried to calm her down, pleading:

“Why are you screaming? You are shouting… why are you embarrassing me?”

In a follow-up video posted online, the man defended his decision, insisting that his refusal to kneel did not make him a bad person.

He explained: “I did everything right for this girl. The fact that I didn’t kneel, does it mean I’m a red flag? Everything I have been doing right has been cancelled because of this. I had my reason for not kneeling down, and people should mind their business.”

The incident has since sparked a hot debate on social media, with some arguing that kneeling is a cultural sign of respect and love, while others believe the gesture should not define the sincerity of a proposal.

See reactions below

This guy who proposed to his girlfriend asked two critical questions and no one is answering those questions.

He spent so much to get that place ready for her and just because he didn't kneel down, Everything will go to waste??? Her Maturity level is 29%

Immediately your woman…

— Arch Angel Jesse Halliday 🇳🇬 🇬🇧 (@AaJessehalliday) September 14, 2025

I don't even know why he's explaining himself!

He doesn't need to...
Regardless

Kneeling to propose is a white man's culture not ours!

Refusal to kneel doesn't make him any less of a man instead it makes him more of a man!

Kings don't kneel!!!

— BryanOg (@Bryan_Og2) September 14, 2025

Omoh, when it comes to this marriage thing eh, let us be considerate, kneel down for her, it’s like 10 secs.

— Nnamdi Obi (@nnamdiobiii) September 14, 2025

Mtchew you never ready to marry

— AMARA (@Amy_beke) September 14, 2025

Lol, i will buy ring, pay for the wedding, pay your bride price, take care of you after marriage ad u expect me to kneel down and give u ring.

May God take me if my knees touch ground that day. Rubbish

— K-2SO (@MaxCrypt_) September 14, 2025

You see girl wey get nyash you nor fit knee down ask her to marry you. Your loss bro. BTW I see the two of them could escalate matters so fast. As a man who desires a good woman you have to show genuine love and humility rather than arrogance.

— Millionaire BusinessMan 🇨🇦 (@tboss_guy) September 14, 2025

Men
Do not allow the mentality of alpha male to consume you
As a man you should know better that you should kneel down when proposing

— 0xUG♻️ (@Ugo_udkm) September 14, 2025

Lady turns down her man’s marriage proposal after he refused to kneel.pic.twitter.com/74sPCmfnZO

— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) September 12, 2025

Man whose marriage proposal was rejected by his girlfriend because he refused to kneel, addresses his critics pic.twitter.com/htVgjVPtX6 https://t.co/ivS9hIlGt2

— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) September 14, 2025