A 68-year-old British woman, Dawn Ottewell, has alleged that her 31-year-old Nigerian husband, Bright Emokpae, disappeared after moving to the United Kingdom on a spouse visa, leaving her struggling to locate him and begin divorce proceedings.
Ottewell, from Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, told The Sun UK that she met Emokpae, a native of Edo State, on dating platforms Tinder and Plenty of Fish in 2021, when she was experiencing loneliness and depression.
She said Emokpae initially introduced himself as “Brian Thomas” before later telling her that he was a fashion student from Benin City.
According to Ottewell, their relationship developed through frequent video calls before she travelled to northern Cyprus, where Emokpae was studying on a student visa.
The pair married at a registry office in Nicosia on March 22, 2022, with two Turkish friends serving as their best man and maid of honour.
Following the wedding, Emokpae returned to Nigeria to apply for a UK spouse visa. About a year later, after the visa was granted, Ottewell travelled to Heathrow Airport to welcome him to Britain.
However, Ottewell alleged that their relationship deteriorated after his arrival, claiming that Emokpae became increasingly distant, regularly asked her for money and declined to contribute towards household expenses while sending money to Nigeria.
Her 72-year-old brother, Rory, reportedly helped Emokpae secure employment at a local door manufacturing company.
The couple separated briefly in October 2023 but reunited about six months later after Ottewell received a £63,000 settlement following what she described as a botched NHS prolapse operation.
Ottewell said she now regrets reconciling with her husband.
She recalled that shortly before Christmas 2024, she went on a £2,000 Caribbean cruise with her brother. When she returned, she discovered that Emokpae had left.
She said he has not returned since and has blocked her on social media.
Ottewell, who reportedly has heart disease, sciatica, angina and IBS, said she has been unable to reach her husband for months. She believes he may now be living in Scotland, where she suspects he operates an online clothing business.
“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 said.
The British woman also expressed concern about her estate and what could happen to her assets if she dies before their marriage is legally dissolved.
“My biggest fear is that I’ll die before this is sorted out and he’ll run off with the money my three children should inherit,” she said.
Ottewell said she has not made a will and is worried that Emokpae could potentially have a claim over some of her possessions, including jewellery, cash and furniture.
She is now seeking assistance from Citizens Advice in an effort to locate her estranged husband and have the divorce papers formally served on him.
“I feel I’m being used,” Ottewell said.
She added, “I would advise people to be very careful who they marry, especially when the person is from abroad, because a lot of them are just doing it for a visa, and then they disappear.”
