Rap icon Nicki Minaj praised Donald Trump’s stand on the persecution of religious minorities on Tuesday, calling for an end to faith-based persecution in Nigeria, which the government there denies.
Minaj, of “Starships” and “Super Bass” fame, spoke out at an event hosted by the US embassy to the United Nations and thanked Trump “for prioritising this issue and for his leadership.”
Nicki Minaj spoke during the panel discussion “Combatting Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria” at the US Mission to the United Nations in New York City.
She has previously posted to her legions of social media followers about the killings of Christians in Nigeria, an issue the Trump administration has made a priority.
Trump was “calling for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria to combat extremism and to bring a stop to violence against those who simply want to exercise their natural right to freedom of religion or belief,” Minaj said alongside Washington’s ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz.
“In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes and killed. Churches have been burned. Families have been torn apart, and entire communities live in fear constantly, simply because of how they pray.”
The Trinidadian star has previously said she has a “deep sense of gratitude” to be able to “freely worship God” in the United States and called on others to pray for those unable to pursue their faith freely.
Minaj’s appearance alongside Waltz came after she backed a social media post by Trump where he alleged Nigeria’s government had failed to stop attacks on Christians.
This issue has recently drawn Trump’s attention, with the president accusing Abuja of tolerating the murders of Christians by “Islamist terrorists” — a claim pushed by some US Christian conservatives. “I want to be clear, protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people. It is about uniting humanity,” Minaj added. (Agencies)
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