Why men kneel to propose
By Guardian Exclusive
14 October 2023 |
5:10 am
Ever wondered why men go down on one knee to propose to would-be brides. Well, long before globalization and modernization, marriages were hardly done for love. Marriage proposals were conducted like business transactions between two families that finally reached an agreement. This was because marriage was seen as a financial and legal commitment rather than a romantic partnership.
Related
September 18, 2023
Related
15 Sep
Nigeria made their debut at the recent Invictus Games. Dismissed by critics as a cynical, expensive spectacle, the Games are a chance for participants suffering from physical and psychological trauma to exchange ideas.
18 Sep
Facial hair growth has long been associated with masculinity. Making it surprising for many people when they see a woman with a beard.
Nigerian women with beards or co-chest hair are often stereotyped and usually associated with being wicked or worse accused of witchcraft. Many times, Nigerians also conclude that a woman who has a mustache, a beard, or excessive body hair will definitely be from the eastern part of the country.
In this video, we will be discussing why women grow beards and excessive body hair.
18 Sep
Fiji claim historic win over Australia as England hold firm against Japan
20 Sep
Prehistoric ruins outside the ancient West Bank city of Jericho have been given UNESCO World Heritage status after a vote of the World Heritage Committee in Riyadh. The UN agency says Tell al-Sultan was home to a permanent settlement by the 9th or 8th millennium BC. But the decision has sparked controversy, with Israelis denouncing the move and Palestinians celebrating it. FRANCE 24's Science reporter Shirli Sitbon examines how UNESCO tries to dissociate heritage from politics.
29 Sep
Ile Ife is the cultural center of Nigeria's Yoruba people. Our guide is the leader of the Yoruba king's personal band.
20 Sep
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said on Tuesday he was seeking to re-establish constitutional order to address political and economic problems in neighboring Niger following a July coup and welcomed any support for the process.
20 Sep
Organizers of the Benin World Petanque championship hailed the event as a cultural victory for the country. From leisurely street games to fierce club tournaments, Benin is carving out its place in the sport. Angela Ukomadu has more.
22 Sep
The sites at Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero in Rwanda commemorating the mass killings of mainly Tutsi victims were “just inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list”, the organisation posted on social media on Wednesday.
30 Sep
As record numbers of migrants continue to arrive on the small Italian island of Lampedusa, FRANCE 24 looks back at the shipwreck of 2013, which saw 368 people drown off the island. Our reporters met a witness to the tragedy, a survivor and the island's doctor who registered the deaths. All of them want to put an end to these shipwrecks, which have made the Mediterranean the deadliest migrant route in the world.
25 Sep
In Nigeria, the first West African comic art exhibition is opening eyes, hearts and minds to a new way of looking at heroes.
30 Sep
Australia is at “rock bottom” after a record defeat to Wales left Eddie Jones and the Wallabies on the brink of an “embarrassing” group-stage World Cup exit, as the media turned on the team following a humiliating night in Lyon.
29 Sep
In Senegal, despite clear legislative progress towards gender equality and the huge contribution women make to the rural economy, they remain in the minority or even absent from strategic and operational land governance bodies at ‘commune’ level. Furthermore, the legal recognition of the principle of citizens’ engagement in public affairs is not accompanied by any working mechanism to ensure that grassroots communities are able to participate.
Latest
2 hours ago
A Nigerian NGO offers a safe space online for male sexual abuse survivors to anonymously share their stories and heal.
2 hours ago
Amazonas, the largest state in Brazil, is suffering the worst drought in its history after weeks without rain. The rivers have run dry as a result of climate change and the impact of the El Nino climate pattern. The local government has declared a state of emergency in all 62 cities in the state. Some 152,000 families are affected, or around 600,000 people. Our correspondents report.
2 hours ago
Delegates to China's ceremonial legislature have approved a new law to address Western grievances about unequal market access and IP theft in the Asian giant. But concerns remain among European and US businesses.
1 day ago
For more than six months, Russia has been waging war against Ukraine not only with soldiers and bullets, but also in the media - with fakes, disinformation and a broad-based propaganda strategy. We show what's behind it.
1 day ago
As the UN's annual climate summit gets underway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, one underlying question is set to top the agenda: can the world finally agree to ditch fossil fuels? Down to Earth takes a closer look.
1 day ago
A spate of attacks on drivers using GPS navigation systems prompted South Africa to ask Google Maps to exclude a notorious crime hotspot. The intervention comes as the authorities battle to remedy widespread crime.
×

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.