A 68-year-old British woman, Dawn Ottewell, has recounted her ordeal after her 31-year-old Nigerian husband, Bright Emokpae, allegedly disappeared in the United Kingdom shortly after relocating there on a spouse visa.
Ottewell, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, told The Sun UK that she met Emokpae, who is from Edo State, on dating platforms Tinder and Plenty of Fish in 2021, at a time when she was struggling with loneliness and depression.
According to her, Emokpae initially introduced himself as “Brian Thomas” before later revealing that he was a fashion student from Benin City.
The pair reportedly developed a close relationship through regular video calls before Ottewell travelled to northern Cyprus, where Emokpae was studying on a student visa.
They eventually got 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 process his spouse visa. About a year later, after the visa was approved, Ottewell travelled to Heathrow Airport to welcome him to the UK.
However, she alleged that their relationship deteriorated after his arrival, claiming that he became increasingly distant, regularly asked her for money and refused to contribute to household expenses while sending money to Nigeria.
Ottewell’s 72-year-old brother, Rory, reportedly helped Emokpae secure employment at a local door manufacturing company.
The couple separated briefly in October 2023 but reconciled six months later after Ottewell received a £63,000 settlement following a botched NHS prolapse operation.
She now says she regrets reconciling with him.
Ottewell recalled that shortly before Christmas 2024, she went on a £2,000 Caribbean cruise with her brother. When she returned, however, she allegedly discovered that Emokpae had left.
She said he has not returned since and has blocked her on social media.
The woman, who reportedly lives with heart disease, sciatica, angina and IBS, said she has been unable to reach her estranged husband for months.
She suspects he may now be living in Scotland, where she believes 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.
Ottewell also expressed fears over the fate of her estate should she die before their divorce is concluded.
“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.
She said she has not made a will and is worried that Emokpae could potentially lay claim to some of her possessions, including jewellery, cash and furniture.
Ottewell is now seeking assistance from Citizens Advice to locate her estranged husband and serve him with divorce papers.
“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.”
