A 68-year-old British grandmother, Dawn Otewell, has spoken out after her 31-year-old Nigerian husband, Bright Emokpae, allegedly left her and has been difficult to locate as she attempts to finalise their divorce.
Otewell, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, married Emokpae, who is from Edo State, Nigeria, in Cyprus in March 2022 after the pair met through dating apps.
The couple have a 36-year age difference.
According to Otewell, she met Emokpae on Tinder and Plenty of Fish in 2021 when she was lonely and depressed.
She said he initially introduced himself as “Brian Thomas”, claiming to be a professional in his thirties. However, after their conversations moved to WhatsApp, he reportedly admitted that his real name was Bright Emokpae and that he was a fashion student in his twenties from Benin, Edo State.
Despite the deception, Otewell said she fell in love with him and travelled to northern Cyprus in March 2022, where Emokpae was living on a student visa.
They subsequently married at a registry office in Nicosia on March 22, 2022.
The wedding certificate reportedly listed Emokpae as a 27-year-old student and Otewell as a 64-year-old housewife.
After the wedding, Otewell returned to Britain while Emokpae went back to Nigeria to process a UK spouse visa.
About a year later, he reportedly joined her in the UK.
Otewell said their relationship began to deteriorate after his arrival, alleging that he became distant, made financial demands and sent money to Nigeria while contributing little towards household expenses.
The couple separated in October 2023 but reportedly reconciled about six months later.
Otewell said the reconciliation came after she received a £63,000 payout following a medical negligence settlement relating to an NHS hospital operation.
With hindsight, she said she now believes she should have been more cautious about resuming the relationship at that point.
The relationship eventually broke down again.
Otewell said that shortly before Christmas 2024, she went on a £2,000 Caribbean cruise with her brother. According to her, Emokpae became angry that she had spent the money on the trip instead of using it to help settle his debts.
She said he subsequently left the home and did not return.
Otewell claims she has been unable to contact him after he blocked her on social media.
She also believes he may now be living in Scotland, where he has reportedly become involved in an online clothing business.
Public company records show a Bright Emokpae as a director and person with significant control of Brighté Studio Ltd, a company incorporated in Scotland in June 2026 and registered in Hawick. However, the company record alone does not establish that this is the same person or prove that he is hiding from his wife.
Otewell believes Emokpae has deliberately avoided her because of his UK immigration status and alleges that he is refusing to sign divorce documents.
However, the claim that he disappeared specifically to preserve his spouse visa remains an allegation by Otewell and has not been independently established.
Otewell, who is a grandmother of seven, said she is particularly worried about what could happen to her assets if she dies before the marriage is legally dissolved.
She said she has not made a will and fears her husband could potentially have a claim over some of her possessions, including jewellery, cash and furniture.
“I’m still his legally married wife, but apparently I have no right to know where he is,” she told The Sun UK.
Otewell said she is receiving assistance from Citizens Advice as she tries to locate her estranged husband and complete the divorce process.
She added that she believes she ignored warning signs at the beginning of the relationship.
“I knew he was a bit young. The lies he told me about his name and age should have been two massive red flags,” she said.
Otewell said she now feels she was used and hopes her experience will serve as a warning to others entering relationships with people they meet online.
She has alleged that Emokpae was primarily interested in obtaining a UK visa, but there is currently no independent evidence establishing that this was his motive for marrying her.
The Sun UK reported that Emokpae disputed Otewell’s account, saying he had signed the divorce papers, although he reportedly declined to provide proof.
The circumstances surrounding the couple’s separation and Emokpae’s current whereabouts therefore remain disputed.
