Nicki Minaj has opened up about why she chose to speak publicly on the reported persecution of Christians in Nigeria, citing both her personal connections to the country and reports of attacks on worshippers.
The rapper made the remarks during a surprise appearance at AmericaFest on Sunday, responding to a question from Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk. When asked what motivated her to address the issue, Minaj pointed to her longstanding ties to Nigeria and concern over violence targeting religious communities.
“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,” she said.
She added, “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.”
Minaj also highlighted the global importance of religious freedom, noting that many people take the right to worship for granted. “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,” she said.
The rapper has previously raised concerns about the situation in Nigeria, including responding to a post by former US President Donald Trump on October 31, in which he said, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria.” Minaj replied on November 1, saying, “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.”
PUNCH Online also reported that Minaj highlighted the plight of Christians in Nigeria during a collaboration with US Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, last month. At AmericaFest, she praised Trump and Vice President JD Vance as leaders attuned to the concerns of ordinary Americans.
During the session, she pointed out that Christians face challenges in the United States as well, emphasizing the importance of leadership in protecting 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 said.
The Nigerian government, however, has consistently denied claims of a coordinated or systematic persecution of Christians, insisting that insecurity affects citizens of all faiths and that the country’s security challenges are complex rather than targeted at any particular religion.