American rapper Nicki Minaj addressed the plight of Christians in Nigeria during a surprise appearance at AmericaFest, explaining her personal connection to the country and responding to troubling reports of violence against worshippers.
“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 while they’re in church, people are being killed, brutalised, all because of their religion—that should spark outrage.”
Minaj emphasized the importance of speaking out and supporting persecuted Christians worldwide.
“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.
“We take for granted that there, right now in this world, are people who cannot worship God as they please, where they please,” she said.
“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 follow weeks after she reacted to a social media post by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria.” Minaj said reading the post filled her with gratitude for the freedoms in her own country.
“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,” she stated.
During the AmericaFest event, Minaj also praised Trump and Vice President JD Vance, noting that they understand the concerns of ordinary people. She contrasted current leadership with prior administrations, saying past leaders failed to recognize or address religious persecution.
“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 added.
