JCARM Journal of Contemporary Academic Research and Methodologies JCARM 3139-7247 Ivory and Finch Publishers 10.5281/zenodo.21927061 JCARM_JUL_26_106 Original Research Article Marriage Proposals in Nollywood: Cinematic Representation of Men Kneeling and Cultural Power Plays George Ogazi Mani (PhD) EZE, https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6765-6123 Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Humanities, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. george.eze@iaue.edu.ng Cecilia Chibunma (PhD) CHIDOZIE, https://orcid.org/ORCID ID: https:// orcid.org/0009-0002-7116-9105 Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Humanities, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Benson Owajima UGBANA, https://orcid.org/ORCID ID: https:// orcid.org/0009-0009-0161-2790 Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Humanities, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. 14 08 2026 1 6

This study examined how marriage proposals are depicted in Nollywood films, particularly focusing on the cultural significance of men kneeling and the related gender power dynamics. It studied select popular Nollywood romantic dramas and comedies released between 2010 and 2024, the research investigated how the act of kneeling during proposals was portrayed, challenged, or accepted within Nigerian cultural narratives. It used content analysis, grounded in postcolonial theory and gender performativity. The findings indicated that Nollywood served as both a mirror and a mold for societal attitudes, where the kneeling man was both celebrated and mocked, showcasing a conflict between traditional African patriarchal values and Western ideals of love and expression. In some films, kneeling was depicted as a modern performative act, suggesting emotional openness and gender equality among men. Conversely, in others, it was viewed as emasculating, tapping into cultural narratives that saw men as the dominant decision-makers in marriage. The paper argued that these portrayals go beyond mere dramatic elements; they represent cinematic negotiations of a shifting Nigerian identity within a global media landscape. This study adds to the ongoing discussions about gender, media, and cultural hybridity by illustrating how Nollywood shapes evolving views on masculinity, romance, and cultural authenticity. It also prompts important questions about who gets to define modernity in African cinema and whose perspective dictates what constitutes acceptable romantic behaviour.

 Nollywood Marriage Proposals Gender Performativity Postcolonial Identity Cultural Hybridity.. 27 07 2026 29 07 2026 Copyright © 2026 by the authors This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. References Adejunmobi, M. (2015). Reading Nollywood: Transnational texts and African popular culture. Indiana University Press. Adeoti, G. (2009). Of the state, the market and the popular: Theatre and democracy in Nigeria. CBAAC. Adepoju, T. (2022). Romantic Symbolism in Yoruba and Igbo Nollywood Films. Lagos Film Studies Review, 11(2), 89–105. Ayoade, A. (1987). Traditional African Courtship Rituals. Ibadan University Press. Berger, A. A. (2014). Media Analysis Techniques (5th ed.). SAGE Publications. Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The Location of Culture. Routledge. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Routledge. Chukwu, M., & Bello, S. (2023). The Politics of Proposal Scenes in Nollywood. Journal of African Cinema and Performance, 18(1), 119–134. Diawara, M. (1992). African Cinema: Politics and Culture. Indiana University Press. Ebewo, P. J. (2017). Nollywood as cultural product: Semiotics and symbolism in Nigerian video films. Journal of African Cultural Studies, 29(1), 44–56. Ebewo, P. J. (2017). Nollywood as cultural product: Semiotics and symbolism in Nigerian video films. Journal of African Cultural Studies, 29(1), 44–56. Edewor, A., & Omoera, O. (2019). Visual Culture and Gender Representation in Nollywood. Benin Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 6(3), 127–142. Haynes, J. (2016). Nollywood: The creation of Nigerian film genres. University of Chicago Press. Lindsay, L. A., & Miescher, S. F. (Eds.). (2003). Men and Masculinities in Modern Africa. Sage Mbembe, A. (2001). On the postcolony. University of California Press. Nfah-Abbenyi, J. M. (2005). Gender in African Women’s Writing: Identity, Sexuality, and Difference. Indiana University Press. Nwachukwu, F. (2021). Audience Perceptions of Male Kneeling in Marriage Proposals in Nigeria. International Journal of African Popular Culture, 9(1), 35–52. Oha, O. (2007). The visual rhetoric of Nigerian home video films. African Studies Review, 50(3), 123–136. Okome, O. (2010). Nollywood: Spectatorship, audience and the sites of consumption. Postcolonial Text, 6(2), 1–21. Okoye, I. (2016). Hybridity and Masculinity in Nollywood Romantic Comedies. African Communication Research, 5(2), 75–91. Shaka, I. (2013). Symbol and Subversion: Gender Rites in African Popular Cinema. Pan-African Publishers. Turner, V. (1982). From Ritual to Theatre: The Human Seriousness of Play. PAJ Publications. Ukadike, N. F. (1994). Black African Cinema. University of California Press.