American rapper Nicki Minaj has said her Nigerian pastor inspired her to speak out about the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, urging celebrities and social media influencers to use their platforms to draw attention to the situation.
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 Christians in the country.
The rapper said her pastor's Nigerian background, alongside her large Nigerian fan base, had given her a personal 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.
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Minaj, who refers to her fans as Barbz, questioned why more public figures were not speaking about the issue, suggesting that some people might avoid discussing subjects they consider controversial.
"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 celebrities and influencers would join the campaign to raise awareness about 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.
The rapper has emerged as one of the prominent international entertainers speaking publicly about alleged religious persecution in Nigeria, drawing attention to reports of attacks on Christian communities.