American rapper Nicki Minaj has explained her decision to publicly speak about the plight of Christians in Nigeria, citing personal connections to the country and disturbing reports of violence against worshippers.
Minaj addressed the issue during a surprise appearance at AmericaFest, where she responded to questions from the audience. When asked about Nigeria, she said the country holds special meaning for her and that reports of attacks on Christians had deeply affected her.
She disclosed that her pastor is Nigerian and that she enjoys strong support from fans in the country, popularly known as “Nigerian barbs,” adding that these ties made it impossible for her to stay silent.
According to Minaj, reports of Christians being kidnapped and killed during church activities should be a matter of global concern.
“Nigeria is a place I’ve always loved. Someone very dear to me, my pastor, is Nigerian, and I have lots of Nigerian barbs,” she said. “So hearing that people are being kidnapped in church, killed and brutalised simply because of their religion should spark outrage.”
The rapper stressed that silence only enables oppression, declaring that she is no longer willing to keep quiet on issues of faith and persecution.
“We’re not backing down anymore. We are not going to be silenced by bullies. We will speak up for Christians wherever they are in the world,” she said.
Minaj also spoke more broadly about religious freedom, noting that many people around the world do not enjoy the basic right to worship openly—freedoms often taken for granted in countries where they are protected.
“We forget that there are people right now who cannot worship God as they choose, where they choose,” she said. “Whenever we pray in fellowship, we should remember those who have to hide just to pray, and we should pray for them.”
Her comments come weeks after she reacted to a social media post by former US President Donald Trump, who claimed that Christianity faces an existential threat in Nigeria. At the time, Minaj expressed gratitude for the freedom to worship and condemned religious persecution.
“Reading this made me feel deeply grateful. We live in a country where we can freely worship God. No group should ever be persecuted for practising their faith,” she wrote.
At the AmericaFest event, Minaj also praised Trump and Vice President JD Vance, saying they understand the concerns of ordinary people. She added that Christians also face challenges in the United States, stressing that leadership plays a vital role in protecting religious freedom.
“Christians have been persecuted here in different ways too. When we talk about Nigeria and other countries, we should remember that some previous administrations saw nothing wrong with that—and that was the real problem,” she concluded.
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