- Nicki Minaj opened up about her personal connection to Nigeria, pointing to a surprising link that explains her strong stance on the country
- The 43-year-old rapper made the revelation at the X Takeover event in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, October 11, 2026
- Minaj called on fellow celebrities and influencers to speak out about what she described as the brutal treatment of Christians in Nigeria
American rapper Nicki Minaj has revealed that her pastor hails from Nigeria, explaining for the first time the personal thread that ties her to the country and its ongoing religious freedom debate.
Source: UGC
The Trinidadian-American star made the disclosure on Saturday, 11 October 2026, during what appeared to be an interview or press-conference setting at the X Takeover event held at Tesla's Giga Texas facility in Austin, Texas.
Holding a handheld microphone against a plain grey backdrop, Minaj spoke with an earnest, advocacy-driven tone that left little doubt about the depth of her conviction on the subject.
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Minaj's Nigerian connection
"My pastor is from Nigeria, so I have a link to Nigeria because of him. And of course I have a lot of Nigerian Barbz," the 43-year-old said, referring to her global fanbase by their well-known nickname.
She went on to describe how disturbing content about religious violence in the country had gradually drawn her attention.
"What I started seeing was the brutality in which Christians are being treated there just for being Christian. And I thought, why isn't anyone making a big deal out of this?" she said.
Minaj pointed to a tendency among public figures to avoid topics that are not considered socially fashionable, suggesting that silence from the celebrity world has allowed the issue to go largely unaddressed.
"Sometimes when things aren't cool to talk about, people just don't talk about it," she said, before adding that she is actively hoping other entertainers and influencers will "come aboard the train to start speaking out."
A growing international platform
This is not the first time Minaj has used her profile to raise the alarm. She previously appeared at a panel in November 2025 titled "Combatting Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria," held at the US Mission to the United Nations in New York.
She has also used her social media platforms consistently to highlight what she describes as targeted attacks on Christian communities in the country.
Her remarks arrive at a significant moment. The United States government designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern in late 2025, citing allegations of serious religious persecution, a classification that has intensified international scrutiny of the situation on the ground.
Minaj closed her comments with a forward-looking pledge:
"I look forward to doing more to help in that way, in that cause."
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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