Trinidadian-born US rapper Nicki Minaj recently highlighted the reported suffering and persecution of Nigerian Christians during her UN speech, which was specially arranged by the White House and US President Donald Trump.

The 42-year-old Minaj, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, attended the event organised by the US Embassy to the UN in her home state of New York. Minaj, who migrated to Jamaica, Queens during her childhood, spent most of her formative years in New York, even attending the famous LaGuardia High School, which boasts notable alumni including Kelis, Robert De Niro and Jennifer Aniston.

The special event was specifically intended to address the plight of Nigerian Christians; however, it has since faced significant backlash for the lack of Nigerian inclusion. Minaj stated that calling for the protection of Christians in Nigeria was “not about taking sides or dividing people… but about uniting humanity”. Before beginning the five-minute address, the mother-of-one expressed her thanks to both Donald Trump and his ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz. Minaj thanked Trump for “prioritising this issue and for his leadership”.

The respect appeared mutual, as Waltz described Minaj as “arguably the greatest female recording artist [and] a principled individual who refuses to remain silent in the face of injustice”. Minaj, who herself has been part of a growing list of controversies recently, including a widely observed online altercation with fellow superstar rapper Cardi B, aligned herself with the controversial president and said it was “an honor” to be present “to shine a spotlight on the deadly threats faced by thousands of Christians in Nigeria.” She added:

“I stand here as a proud New Yorker with a deep sense of gratitude that we live in a country where we can freely and safely worship God regardless of one’s creed, background, or politics… No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion, like I recently stated on social media. And we don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other…”

The “Superbass” rapper went on to reference her millions of superfans, whom she affectionately nicknamed the ‘Barbz’ early in her career, stating:

“The Barbz & I will never stand down in the face of injustice,” Minaj wrote. “We’ve been given our influence by God. There must be a bigger purpose.”

The public declarations come after Trump announced that he was considering possible military intervention in the West African nation, stating he was considering sending troops in “guns a-blazing” if the Nigerian government “continues to allow the killing of Christians”. Trump added that he may stop American aid to Nigeria, alleging that the Nigerian government had failed to protect Christian communities from the “existential threat” imposed on them by violent jihadists.

However, according to experts analysing the issues in the region, the campaigns of violence waged by armed groups affect all communities in the nation, including Muslims, Christians, and others regardless of their beliefs. In the last week alone, two people were killed in an attack on a church in Kwara, while a group of 25 Muslim schoolgirls were abducted from their school in an attack that saw their teacher murdered.

Minaj has shown support for Trump via social media several times, including her original tweet in response to Trump first calling out the issue:

“Reading this made me feel a deep sense of gratitude…Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror & it’s dangerous to pretend we don’t notice. Thank you to The President & his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian. Let’s remember to lift them up in prayer.”