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

In a controversial divorce case, a 68-year-old British woman named Dawn Ottewell is accusing her Nigerian husband, Bright Emokpae, 31, of marrying her solely for a UK visa. Ottewell, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, claims Emokpae left their home, blocked her on social media, and is refusing to sign divorce papers. The couple, with a 37-year age gap, met on dating apps in 2021 and married in Nicosia, Cyprus, in March 2022.

Ottewell alleges that Emokpae, initially claiming to be a professional in his 30s, later revealed he was a fashion student from Benin City, Nigeria. She says she forgave him and they reconciled after he received a £63,000 payout from a medical negligence claim. Ottewell believes Emokpae is motivated by his spouse visa and is refusing to sign divorce papers because he wants to maintain his visa status.