American rapper Nicki Minaj has opened up on why she chose to publicly speak about the situation facing Christians in Nigeria.
She said her decision was driven by personal connections to the country and disturbing reports of violence against worshippers.
Minaj spoke on the issue during a surprise appearance at AmericaFest, where she took questions from the audience.
While responding to a question about Nigeria, the music star explained that the country holds a special place in her heart and that what she has heard happening there deeply troubled her.
She disclosed that her pastor is Nigerian and that she has many Nigerian fans, often referred to as “Nigerian barbs.”
According to her, these personal ties made it impossible for her to stay silent in the face of reports of attacks on Christians.
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.”
Minaj stressed that she believes silence only encourages oppression, adding that she is no longer willing to be quiet on issues 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.”
The rapper also spoke more broadly about religious freedom, noting that many people around the world do not enjoy the simple right to worship openly. She warned that freedom of worship is often taken for granted in countries where it is 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.”
Minaj’s comments come weeks after she reacted to a social media post by United States President Donald Trump, in which he claimed that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria.”
Reacting to that statement at the time, Minaj expressed gratitude for being able to worship freely and condemned religious persecution in any form.
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, saying they understand the concerns of everyday people.
She added that Christians also face challenges in the United States, insisting that leadership plays a major role in protecting religious freedoms.
She said, “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.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government of Nigeria has repeatedly dismissed claims that Christians are being targeted for systematic extermination.
The government have maintained that the country’s security problems affect Nigerians across religious and ethnic lines, describing claims of a coordinated religious genocide as misleading.