United States–based Trinidadian rapper and singer, Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, popularly known as Nicki Minaj, has urged the international community to act urgently to protect Christians in Nigeria facing deadly attacks.
Speaking at the United Nations on Tuesday, Minaj said her advocacy is rooted in defending human rights and religious freedom, not in choosing sides or promoting division.
Below is the cleaned and fully formatted full text of her speech:
Full Speech: Nicki Minaj at the United Nations
“Hello everyone. I must say I am very nervous… so please bear with me.
Thank you, Ambassador Waltz, for this invitation. It is an honour to stand here with you and other distinguished speakers to shine a spotlight on the deadly threat facing thousands of Christians in Nigeria.
I want to thank President Trump for prioritising this issue and for calling for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria, to combat extremism, and to stop violence against those who simply want to exercise their natural right to freedom of religion or belief.
I stand here as a proud New Yorker, grateful to live in a country where we can freely and safely worship God, regardless of our creed, background, or politics.
No group should ever be persecuted for practising their religion. And we don’t have to share the same beliefs in order to respect one another.
We are way beyond expecting the person next to us to have the exact same beliefs. That is ridiculous. But differences should not make anyone feel less safe.
My music has taken me around the world. I have seen how people, no matter their language, culture, or religion, come alive when they hear a song that touches their soul.
Religious freedom means we can all sing our faith, no matter who we are or what we believe. But today, faith is under attack in too many places.
In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes, and killed. Churches have been burned.
Families torn apart. Entire communities live in constant fear simply because of how they pray.
Sadly, this is not only a Nigerian problem. It is rising in many countries, and it demands urgent action.
Let me be clear: protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides. It is about uniting humanity.
Nigeria is a beautiful nation with deep faith traditions and lots of beautiful Barbz that I can’t wait to see.
When any church, mosque, or place of worship is destroyed, everyone’s heart should break. The foundation of the United Nations, with its mandate for peace and security, should shake.
Today, I’m joined by peace builders and faith leaders—people who saw violence, intolerance, and threats growing, yet chose not to look away.
I am inspired by their work to build interfaith ties, recognise shared humanity, and defend security and liberty for all who pray.
I hope this discussion encourages deeper solidarity. We must work urgently to ensure every person can enjoy the right to believe, worship, and live in peace.
Barbz, I know you’re listening. I love you dearly. You’ve been a light in my life for so long. I appreciate you.
And I want to say again: this is not about taking sides. This is about standing up in the face of injustice. This is what I’ve stood for my whole career.
For the rest of my life, I will care if anyone anywhere is being persecuted for their beliefs.
Thank you.”