Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 18/Nov 19:49

Nicki Minaj to address UN on November 18

TRINIDADIAN rapper Nicki Minaj is teaming up with US President Donald Trump to raise awareness of the plight of Christians in Nigeria. US Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz announced on November 16 on X that Minaj will use her platform to spotlight violence affecting Nigerian Christians. US media reports said Minaj is expected to address the UN on November 18. Waltz praised the Superbass singer as the “greatest female recording artist,” describing her as “a principled individual who refuses to remain silent in the face of injustice.” “I'm grateful she's leveraging her massive platform to spotlight the atrocities against Christians in Nigeria, and I look forward to standing with her as we discuss the steps the President and his administration are taking to end the persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters.” Minaj, 42, whose given name is Onika Maraj, said she was honoured to be given the opportunity. “I am so grateful to be entrusted with an opportunity of this magnitude. I do not take it for granted. It means more than you know,” she said. Minaj added that she and her fan base, known as the "Barbz,” will not remain quiet in the face of wrongdoing. “The Barbz and I will never stand down in the face of injustice. We’ve been given our influence by God. There must be a bigger purpose,” she said. Minaj has been one of the most influential voices to support Trump after his November 1 social media post in which he threatened to send the US military “guns-a-blazing” into Nigeria if the government “continues to allow the killing of Christians.” Trump instructed the Department of War to prepare for possible military action and threatened to suspend all aid. Nigeria has an estimated 93 million Christians, representing roughly 48.1 per cent of the population. The Nigerian government has denied claims of widespread killings of Christians in the country, where the north is predominantly Muslim and the south predominantly Christian. In a statement, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said the country’s constitution protects freedom of religion. “The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” he said. “Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.” Tinubu said his government is open to working with the US and other international partners to ensure the protection of followers of all faiths. The post Nicki Minaj to address UN on November 18 appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.