Understanding the Male Gaze and Oppositional Gaze in Tiwa Savage’s “Koroba”

Tiwa Savage’s music video for Koroba is colorful, bold, and visually striking. But beyond the dancing, makeup, and beautiful outfits, there’s something deeper going on. The way Tiwa is shown on screen raises important questions about how women especially Black women are seen in media. Using Laura Mulvey’s concept of the male gaze and bell hooks’ idea of the oppositional gaze, this will explore how Koroba balances between showing Tiwa as a powerful woman and presenting her in ways that may turn her into a product for people to consume.

The male gaze, according to Mulvey, happens when the camera is used to view women through the eyes of a heterosexual man. In Koroba, the camera often zooms in on Tiwa’s body especially her hips, waist, and legs. The movements are slow and detailed, drawing attention to her curves rather than her full presence as an artist. The sets, with luxurious chairs and glittery backgrounds, help create a stage where Tiwa is placed as something to be admired and looked at. These choices match Mulvey’s theory that film often turns women into beautiful objects for the viewer's pleasure.

In addition to camera angles, the dance routines and costumes also play a part in creating this gaze. Tiwa wears outfits that show off her body e.g bodysuits, cut-out dresses, and tight clothing and the camera takes time to focus on these. The backup dancers are dressed similarly, and they move in ways that help direct the viewer’s attention to Tiwa. Rather than focusing on the message of the song or her performance as a whole, viewers are encouraged to focus on her physical appearance. This creates the feeling that her body is the main attraction.

However, there are times in the video where Tiwa seems to take control of the gaze. She often looks straight at the camera with confidence, sometimes pointing or winking at the viewer. These actions show that she knows she’s being watched and she’s choosing how to present herself. She isn’t just standing there passively. The way she moves, the expressions on her face, and her bold fashion choices all hint that she is owning her image, not just being used by it. This suggests that she might be using the male gaze on her own terms, flipping the script in subtle ways.

This is where bell hooks’ idea of the oppositional gaze comes in. hooks argues that Black women don’t have to accept the way they’re shown in media. They can choose to look differently, to resist what the camera is telling them and see the deeper meaning. From this perspective, a Black feminist viewer watching Koroba might not see Tiwa as just a sexual object. Instead, they might see her as someone confidently showing off her beauty and identity as a Nigerian woman. The scenes where Tiwa and her dancers move together can be read as a show of unity and sisterhood, not just eye candy.

At the same time, the oppositional gaze reminds us to be careful about how big industries profit from Black women’s bodies. The bright colors, expensive outfits, and clean editing in Koroba make the video attractive for both Nigerian and international viewers. This raises questions: Is Tiwa’s image being used to sell something? Is her Blackness part of a marketing plan? According to hooks, we must ask who benefits when Black women are shown this way. Still, she also tells us not to ignore the artist’s voice. Tiwa has a say in her own image and we must recognize her power too.

Pleasure, according to hooks, can be a tool of resistance. Black women have been told for years how to dress, how to act, and what is “acceptable.” Tiwa’s confidence in her sensual movements and her fashion choices can be seen as a way of pushing back against those restrictions. She is expressing joy in her body, her culture, and her music. That’s not just sexy, it’s political. It shows that pleasure and resistance can live in the same space.

What we see in Koroba is a mix of empowerment and commodification. Tiwa uses her platform to show off African culture, beauty, and confidence. At the same time, the media industry she works in often pressures artists to present themselves in certain ways to stay relevant or get attention. This means that her image is not completely free, it exists in a space where money, fame, and cultural identity are constantly negotiating with each other.

In the end, the real question is: who owns Tiwa Savage’s image? Is it the people behind the camera, the audience watching, or Tiwa herself? The answer depends on how we look. If we look without thinking, we fall into the trap of the male gaze only seeing the surface. But if we look with intention, like bell hooks teaches us, we can find deeper meaning, resistance, and pride. Viewers have power too. Our gaze how we watch and interpret, can either take that power away or help Tiwa claim it for herself.

Tiwa Savage’s Koroba is more than just entertainment. It’s a reflection of how Black women are seen, judged, celebrated, and sometimes misunderstood. Through the lenses of Mulvey and hooks, we can see the layers in the video the ways it both challenges and plays into popular media ideas. Tiwa’s image is not just hers, it’s shaped by how we choose to look. And in that looking, we also reveal what we believe.