Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Tallen, has applauded Nigerian-born celebrated chef in Italy, Tracy Eboigbodin, for changing the perception of Nigeria in Italy through her winning of the famous cooking show, MasterChef Italy, 2022.
The minister, therefore, urged her to support other Nigerian women in Italy so they can make the country proud like her.
Tallen stated this at the 7th edition of the Annual Week of Italian Cuisine in the world, themed: Conviviality, Sustainability and Innovation – the ingredients of Italian cuisine for people’s health and the protection of the planet, held in Abuja.
She said Tracy’s emergence as winner of the 11th edition of the MasterChef Italy is one of the best news Nigeria would have, coming from Italy as against the backdrop of all the bad news that have been heard about Nigerians in Italy.
“Thank God for this beautiful news. She is here to break the ice and turn things around. And I believe this is the beginning of many good things about Nigerian women in Italy. She has opened new doors and closing bad sides of the stories,” the minister added.
The Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Stefano De Leo, said Nigerian youths can make it anywhere, saying “If there is a vision, Nigerians are the best”.
Telling her story, Tracy Eboigbodin, a 28-year-old Nigerian from Benin, Edo State said she left Nigeria for Italy at the age of 15 with her parents.
Tracy said she had to work as a restaurant waitress for 15 years, through which she developed her passion for cooking.
She advised Nigerian women in Italy to look beyond prostitution, saying “It is time to change the story about Nigerians, especially about Nigerian women because there are so many talented ones.
“In Italy, Nigerians are hairdressers, some are tailors so they don’t need to depend on men. There are so many Nigerians in Italy who are good. I have a Nigerian friend in Italy, he has graduated as a doctor so the story is changing. Its just that this side of Nigeria is hidden, they only know the negative side.”
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