A 68-year-old British woman, Dawn Ottewell, has accused her 31-year-old Nigerian husband, Bright Emokpae, of marrying her primarily to obtain a UK spouse visa, as she seeks to end their marriage.
Ottewell, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, told The Sun that she had been unable to locate Emokpae, whom she married in Cyprus in 2022, after their relationship broke down.
The couple, who have a 37-year age difference, reportedly met on a dating app in 2021 and married at a registry office in Nicosia, Cyprus, on March 22, 2022.
According to Ottewell, Emokpae initially introduced himself as a professional in his 30s named Brian Thomas before later revealing that he was a fashion student from Benin City, Edo State, and in his mid-20s.
Despite the revelation, Ottewell said she forgave him because she had fallen in love with him.
“I know I was a fool, but I was in love,” she said.
“I was so lonely and depressed during the pandemic. I was out of work with several health issues. I was on Universal Credit and living with my daughter Kirsty, 33, who had a 14-month-old baby, but we were arguing all the time.
“When I met Bright, he made me feel special and alive.”
Ottewell said Emokpae subsequently moved to the United Kingdom after securing a spouse visa, but their relationship deteriorated.
She alleged that he became increasingly distant and made repeated financial demands, including requests to send money to Nigeria.
“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 alleged.
However, Emokpae denied the allegation, telling The Sun that he contributed £400 towards his £900 flight from Nigeria and paid council tax and water bills at their shared home.
The couple separated in October 2023 but reconciled six months later after Ottewell received a £63,000 compensation payout from a medical negligence claim relating to a prolapse operation at an NHS hospital, according to The Sun.
Ottewell said she later regretted reconciling with Emokpae, claiming that his interest in the relationship was largely driven by her finances.
The marriage eventually broke down again, with Ottewell saying Emokpae left shortly before Christmas 2024 after discovering messages she had exchanged with other men on dating applications.
She said she had not spoken to him since he blocked her on social media about eight months before The Sun published its report.
“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 further alleged that Emokpae could be living in Scotland, where she claimed he had established an online clothing business.
“I’m convinced he was never in love with me and just wanted a visa to move to England,” she 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 Emokpae and serve him with divorce papers.
“I just want him out of my life for good,” she said.
“I also want people to know that if this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”
When contacted by The Sun, Emokpae said he had already signed the divorce papers but declined to provide evidence to substantiate his claim.
The allegations remain claims by Ottewell, while Emokpae has denied some of the allegations and offered a different account of his involvement in the relationship.
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