American rapper Nicki Minaj has said her Nigerian pastor inspired her to speak publicly about alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, urging celebrities and social media influencers to use their platforms to raise awareness about the issue.
Minaj made the remarks during an X Takeover event at Tesla’s Giga Texas facility in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, where she discussed her personal connection to Nigeria and called for greater international attention to reports of violence against Christian communities.
The rapper said her pastor’s Nigerian background, coupled with her large Nigerian fan base, had strengthened her connection to the country.
“For Nigeria personally, my pastor is from Nigeria, so I have a link to Nigeria because of him. And of course, I have a lot of Nigerian barbs, but what I started seeing was the brutality with which Christians are being treated there just for being Christian,” she said.
Minaj, who calls her fans Barbz, questioned why more prominent public figures were not speaking out about the reported attacks, suggesting that some might be reluctant to discuss controversial subjects.
“And I thought, why isn’t anyone making a big deal out of this, you know? And sometimes when things aren’t cool to talk about, people don’t talk about it,” she added.
She expressed hope that more entertainers and online influencers would join efforts to draw international attention to the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
“So right now, actually, I’m hoping that more celebrities or people, influencers, I’m hoping that they come aboard the train to start speaking out about what’s happening to Christians in Nigeria. And I look forward to doing more to help in that way, in that cause,” Minaj said.
