British Grandmother, 68, Cries Out as 31-Year-Old Husband Vanishes After Arriving in UK

• Dawn Otewell, 68, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, married Bright Emokpae, from Edo State, Nigeria, after meeting him on a dating app in 2021
• Bright, who is 36 years her junior, eventually joined Dawn in the UK on a spouse visa before going cold, making financial demands, and eventually walking out
• Dawn, a grandmother of seven with serious health conditions, is now struggling to track him down to serve him divorce papers

A 68-year-old British grandmother has spoken out about her ordeal after her Nigerian husband vanished following his arrival in the United Kingdom, leaving her unable to finalise a divorce and fearing for her children's inheritance.

Dawn Otewell, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, met Bright Emokpae, from Edo State, Nigeria, on the dating apps Tinder and Plenty of Fish in 2021.

She had signed up to the platforms after a period of loneliness and depression. When they first connected, Bright introduced himself as "Brian Thomas," a professional in his thirties.

Read also

Dolly Parton laid to rest as family buries her beside late husband

After their conversations moved to WhatsApp, he admitted he was actually a fashion student in his mid-twenties from Benin, Nigeria.

Despite the early deception, Dawn found herself drawn in by his warmth and affectionate words during regular video calls.

Eight months after they first connected online, she flew to northern Cyprus, where Bright was living on a student visa.

They wed at a registry office in Nicosia on 22 March 2022, with two Turkish friends standing in as best man and maid of honour. The wedding certificate listed him as 27 and her as 64 at the time.

Bright's arrival in UK and marriage breakdown

After the wedding, Bright returned to Nigeria to apply for a spouse visa. When it was approved roughly a year later, Dawn travelled to Heathrow Airport to welcome him.

What followed, she says, was not the life she had imagined. Bright became distant, repeatedly requested money, and consistently refused to contribute to household expenses, while regularly sending funds back to Nigeria.

Read also

Ogidi Brown finally disclosed how he met his beautiful wife, giving young men dating tips

Her brother Rory, 72, had helped secure him a job at a local door manufacturing firm.

The couple briefly separated in October 2023, but reconciled six months later after Dawn received a £63,000 settlement following a botched prolapse operation at an NHS hospital.

She admits, in hindsight, that rekindling the relationship at that point was a mistake.

Just before Christmas 2024, Dawn went on a £2,000 Caribbean cruise with her brother. When she returned, Bright left and has not come back since.

Dawn's fears over health and children's future

Dawn, who suffers from heart disease, sciatica, angina, and IBS, has not spoken to Bright in roughly eight months after he blocked her on social media.

She believes he may now be living in Scotland, where she suspects he has launched 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 told The Sun UK. "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."

Read also

Shatta Wale opens up about meeting his youngest wife Christy: “I paid her Legon fees”

Because she has not written a will, Dawn fears Bright could legally claim her possessions, including jewellery, cash, and furniture.

She is currently receiving guidance from the Citizens Advice Bureau as she attempts to locate him in order to serve the divorce papers.

"I feel I'm being used," she said. "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."

Source: YEN.com.gh