A 68-year-old British woman, Dawn Ottewell, has accused her 31-year-old Nigerian husband, Bright Emokpae, of marrying her principally to secure a United Kingdom spouse visa, as she struggles to locate him and bring their marriage to an end.
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Ottewell, who lives in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, said she wants to divorce Emokpae after their relationship broke down and he allegedly left their home and blocked her on social media. The couple, who have a 37-year age difference, met through dating apps in 2021 and married at a registry office in Nicosia, Cyprus, on March 22, 2022.
She alleged that when they first met online, Emokpae introduced himself as a professional in his 30s named “Brian Thomas,” but later disclosed that he was actually a fashion student in his mid-20s from Benin City, Nigeria.
Despite the disclosure, Ottewell said she forgave him and travelled to Cyprus in March 2022, where the pair met physically for the first time and proceeded with the marriage.
“I know I was a fool, but I was in love,” she said.
Ottewell said she had been lonely and depressed during the COVID-19 pandemic, was out of work and dealing with several health problems while living with her 33-year-old daughter, Kirsty, and her daughter’s 14-month-old child.
She said her relationship with Emokpae initially gave her a renewed sense of companionship.
“When I met Bright, he made me feel special and alive,” she said.
According to her account, Emokpae subsequently moved to Britain after obtaining a spouse visa, but the relationship later deteriorated.
She alleged that he became increasingly distant and regularly made financial demands, including requests involving money being sent to Nigeria.
Ottewell claimed she bore much of the household expenditure, including buying new furniture and frequently paying when they ate outside.
“I got all-new furniture, and he didn’t put a penny towards it. When we went out for dinner, it was usually me picking up the bill,” she said.
Emokpae, however, disputed her account of his financial contribution. He said he contributed £400 towards his £900 flight from Nigeria and paid council tax and water bills at their shared home.
The couple eventually separated in October 2023.
However, they reconciled about six months later after Ottewell received a £63,000 payout arising from a medical negligence claim connected with a prolapse operation at an NHS hospital.
Ottewell said she later regretted taking him back, alleging that she came to believe he was interested in her money.
Their reconciliation did not last.
According to Ottewell, the marriage deteriorated again and Emokpae left shortly before Christmas 2024 after discovering messages she had exchanged with other men on dating apps.
She said that by the time her account was reported, she had not spoken to him for about eight months after he allegedly blocked her on social media.
Ottewell claimed that her attempts to finalise a divorce had also encountered difficulties because she could not locate him.
“He’s done a runner and is refusing to sign the divorce papers because I believe he wants to cling on to his spouse visa,” she alleged.
She further claimed that Emokpae might now be living in Scotland, where she believes he has established an online clothing business.
“I’m convinced he was never in love with me and just wanted a visa to move to England,” Ottewell said.
“And it’s because of his cherished spouse visa that he won’t agree to a divorce.”
Ottewell said she was receiving assistance from Citizens Advice in her efforts to locate her husband and serve him with the necessary divorce papers.
“I just want him out of my life for good,” she said.
She added that she wanted her experience to serve as a warning to others.
“I also want people to know that if this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”
Emokpae, however, disputed the suggestion that he was refusing to cooperate with the divorce process.
When contacted, he said he had already signed the divorce papers, although he did not provide evidence supporting that assertion.
The allegations that Emokpae married Ottewell for immigration or financial reasons remain her claims and have not been established by a court. His account also conflicts with hers on whether he contributed financially to their household and whether he has signed the divorce papers.
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