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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

68-year-old Briton accuses Nigerian husband of marrying her for UK visa, seeks divorce

From The Punch · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources In the courts
  • A 68-year-old British woman, Dawn Ottewell, is seeking a divorce from her 31-year-old Nigerian husband, Bright Emokpae, whom she accuses of marrying her to obtain a UK spouse visa.
  • Ottewell said Emokpae left their home, blocked her on social media and made financial demands; Emokpae denied the allegations and said he contributed to household costs.
  • The couple met on dating apps in 2021, married in Cyprus in 2022 and separated after their relationship deteriorated.

Dawn Ottewell says she is struggling to locate her Nigerian husband and wants a divorce, claiming he married her to obtain a visa to live in Britain.

I know I was a fool, but I was in love

— Dawn OttewellOttewell described why she proceeded with the relationship despite discovering that Emokpae had misrepresented himself.

Ottewell, 68, from Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, married Bright Emokpae, 31, at a registry office in Nicosia, Cyprus, on March 22, 2022. They met through dating apps the previous year. Ottewell said Emokpae initially presented himself as a professional in his 30s named Brian Thomas, but later told her he was a fashion student in his mid-20s from Benin City, Nigeria.

She said she forgave him and travelled to Cyprus, where they met in person for the first time and married. “I know I was a fool, but I was in love,” Ottewell said, describing loneliness, depression, health problems and unemployment during the pandemic. She said the relationship made her feel “special and alive.”

When I met Bright, he made me feel special and alive.

— Dawn OttewellShe described the emotional circumstances surrounding their relationship.

Emokpae later moved to Britain on a spouse visa, but Ottewell said he became distant and frequently asked for money, including funds to send to Nigeria. She said she paid for new furniture and usually covered restaurant bills. Emokpae denied the allegation, saying he contributed £400 toward his £900 flight and paid council tax and water bills at their home.

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

— Dawn OttewellOttewell explained why she believes Emokpae has avoided finalizing the divorce.

The couple separated in October 2023 and reunited six months later after Ottewell received a £63,000 payout linked to a medical negligence claim. She later regretted reconciling, alleging that Emokpae was interested in her money. She said he left shortly before Christmas 2024 after finding messages to other men on dating apps, then blocked her on social media. Ottewell believes he may be living in Scotland and running an online clothing business. She said he refused to sign divorce papers because he wanted to retain his spouse visa.

I’m convinced he was never in love with me and just wanted a visa to move to England

— Dawn OttewellShe stated her belief about the purpose of the marriage.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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