Popular American rapper Nicki Minaj has appealed to fans to treat Nigerian artistes with greater empathy and restraint amid a wave of online criticism directed at several celebrities this week.
Burna Boy faced backlash after making a remark — which he later described as a joke — that he preferred having “only rich fans.”
Yemi Alade was also criticised for pushing back against calls for American intervention in Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
Other entertainers were equally targeted by fans who accused them of being “insensitive” for posting unrelated content following recent tragedies, including the terrorist attack on a church in Kwara State and the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State.
In response to the increasing hostility toward Nigerian stars, Minaj urged fans to approach their criticisms with more understanding. She stressed that people would view situations differently if they sought to understand artistes rather than judge them.
Writing on her X handle, she said, “My darlings, let’s utilize wisdom & compassion as it relates to our Nigerian artists. There are very logical reasons for most things when we look not to judge, but to comprehend.
“That goes for every country & their artists. Let’s lift them up & continue to use wisdom.”
Minaj recently drew praise from Nigerians after she condemned jihadist attacks on Christians during a United Nations event in New York, where she called for urgent global action against terrorism and emphasized the need for freedom of worship.
