The surprise came following the negative reputation often attributed to Nigerians in Italy as traffickers in drugs and human being.

The Italian embassy in Nigeria, in collaboration with the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission and Fraser Suites, celebrated Eboigbodin at the seventh edition of the annual week of Italian cuisine in the World, which was held in Abuja on Friday.

Eboigbodin, who embraced her passion for cooking worked as a waitress in Italy; a job she did for about 15 years before proceeding to culinary school

She ventured into the international cooking competition replicated in over 60 countries after moving to Italy 17 years ago.

Eboigbodin explained that she refused to be limited by the stereotype of being a Nigerian and a woman from Edo State, as they are often times linked to prostitution and trafficking.

She lamented that people focused more on the negatives than the positive impacts made by Nigerians.