Nigerian husband absconds as 68-year-old British wife seeks divorce

A 68-year-old British woman says her 31-year-old Nigerian husband has disappeared and blocked her as she tries to end their marriage.

Dawn Ottewell, from Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, told The Sun that Bright Emokpae left their home and became difficult to locate, preventing her from serving him with divorce papers. She alleged that he could be in Scotland, where she said he had started an online clothing business.

The couple reportedly met on a dating app in 2021 and married at a registry office in Nicosia, Cyprus, on March 22, 2022. Ottewell said Emokpae initially presented himself as a professional in his 30s named Brian Thomas. She later learned that he was a fashion student from Benin City in Edo State, but said she forgave him and traveled to Cyprus, where they met in person for the first time and married.

Emokpae later moved to Britain on a spouse visa. Ottewell said the relationship deteriorated over financial disagreements and other problems. They separated in October 2023, then reunited six months later after she received a £63,000 payout linked to a medical negligence claim involving an operation at an NHS hospital, according to The Sun.

Ottewell alleged that Emokpae left again shortly before Christmas 2024 after finding messages she had exchanged with other men on dating apps. She said she has not spoken to him since he blocked her and accused him of deliberately remaining out of reach to retain his spouse visa.

Emokpae denied some of her allegations. He told The Sun that he had signed the divorce papers, but declined to provide evidence.