Influential United States rapper Nicki Minaj has described Nigeria as a beautiful country with rich faith traditions and “beautiful barbs” she looks forward to meeting.
Minaj, 42, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj Petty, said this at a United Nations event in New York while drawing attention to the killings in Nigeria. She noted that she was not taking sides in the ongoing debates but was speaking out against injustice in any form.
The event, organised in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of the United States to the United Nations, was held against the backdrop of fresh allegations by the United States government claiming that Christians in Nigeria are facing targeted attacks.
However, the Nigerian authorities have strongly rejected the idea that Christians are specifically targeted, saying Muslims and non-Muslims have also fallen victim of killings by the extremist groups.
Minaj said: “I want to be clear, I am not taking sides or dividing people. It is about uniting humanity”.
“Nigeria is a beautiful nation with deep faith traditions and lots of beautiful barbs that I can’t wait to see.
“When one’s Church, Mosque or place of worship is destroyed, everyone’s heart should break just a little bit.
“The foundation of the United Nations with the core mandate to ensure peace and security should shake”.
The U.S. rapper insisted that no group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion” adding, “we don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other.
She also said practicing a different religion “should not make anybody feel less safe”.
“It’s about what I’ve always stood for my entire career and I will continue to stand for that for the rest of my life,” she said.
Referring to the U.S., Minaj expressed gratitude that “we live in a country where she can freely and safely worship God regardless of one’s creed, religion or politics”.
“Music has taken me around the globe. I have seen how people, no matter their language, culture or religion, come alive when they hear a song that touches their soul,” she said.
“Religious freedom means we all can sing our faith regardless of who we are, where we live, and what we believe.
“But today, faith is under attack in way too many places.”
The rapper called for political action in Nigeria.
She thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for the urgent action “to combat extremism and to bring a stop to violence against those who simply want to express their natural right to freedom of religion or belief.”
She paid tribute to “faith leaders and peace builders who witnessed violence, recognised the rise of intolerance, saw the danger long before others, and refused to look away”.
“I am inspired by their efforts to strengthen interfaith relationships, to recognise our shared humanity across the lines that divide us, and to defend the security and liberty of all who pray,” she said.
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, praised Minaj for using her influence as an entertainer to draw global attention to the crisis in Nigeria.
