By American rap icon Onika Maraj-Petty, popularly known as Nicki Minaj, is set to speak at a United Nations event in New York on Tuesday, where she is expected to highlight allegations of violent attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
Minaj will speak alongside U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Michael Waltz, and Alex Bruesewitz, a political strategist and ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also convening the meeting.
The development gained traction after Time magazine’s senior political correspondent, Eric Cortellessa, revealed Minaj’s participation in a post on X on Sunday.
Ambassador Waltz praised the rapper for using her global influence to spotlight the issue, describing her as a bold voice willing to speak against injustice. According to him, Minaj’s presence would help amplify U.S. concerns over reported attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria.
In her reaction, Minaj said she was honoured by the invitation, stressing that she does not take the responsibility lightly. She affirmed that she would continue to speak up against injustice and use her platform to advocate for vulnerable groups.
The UN event follows renewed claims by Donald Trump alleging a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria. Under his administration, Nigeria was previously listed as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious freedom violations a designation that stirred controversy. Minaj recently applauded Trump for drawing attention to the issue.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Federal Government has repeatedly dismissed the allegations, insisting that the country’s security challenges are driven by criminality and terrorism, not religion.
Despite Nigeria’s position, several U.S. officials and advocacy groups continue to express concern over the situation, pushing for deeper international scrutiny.
