American musician Nicki Minaj cited personal ties to Nigeria and alarming stories of violence against worshippers as justifications for her decision to openly address the state of Christians there.
During a surprise performance at AmericaFest, Minaj addressed the topic and answered audience questions.
In response to a question concerning Nigeria, she stated that the nation has great personal significance for her and that the news of attacks on Christians has been quite upsetting.
She revealed that her pastor is a Nigerian and that she has a strong fan base in the country. These fans popularly known as “Nigerian barbs,” noting that these connections made it difficult for her to remain silent.
According to Minaj, reports of kidnappings and killings of Christians during church activities should provoke global concern.
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She said, “Nigeria is a place I’ve always loved. Someone very dear to me, my pastor, is Nigerian, and I have lots of Nigerian barbs.
“So hearing that people are being kidnapped while they’re in church, people are being killed, brutalised, all because of their religion that should spark outrage.”
The rapper emphasised that silence only emboldens oppression, declaring that she is no longer willing to stay quiet on matters of faith and persecution. She said.
“We’re not backing down anymore. We are not going to be silenced by the bullies anymore. We will speak up for Christians wherever they are in this world,” she said.
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Minaj also spoke on the broader issue of religious freedom. Pointing out that many people globally do not enjoy the basic right to worship openly.
She warned that such freedoms are often taken for granted in countries where they are protected.
She said, “We take for granted that there, right now in this world, are people who cannot worship God as they please, where they please.
“Every time we pray in fellowship, we have to remember the people that are right now in this world hiding to pray in fellowship, and we have to pray for them.”
Her remarks come weeks after she reacted to a social media post by United States President Donald Trump, who claimed that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria.”
At the time, Minaj expressed gratitude for the freedom to worship and condemned religious persecution.
She wrote, “Reading this made me feel a deep sense of gratitude. We live in a country where we can freely worship God. No group should ever be persecuted for practising their religion.”
During the AmericaFest event, Minaj also praised Trump and Vice President JD Vance. She said they understand the concerns of ordinary people.”
“She added that Christians face challenges even in the United States, stressing that leadership is crucial in safeguarding religious freedom.
“Christians have been persecuted right here in our country in different ways. So when we talk about Nigeria and other countries, know that prior administrations saw nothing wrong with that, and that’s what was wrong with them,” she concluded.
