A 68-year-old British woman has spoken out after her 31-year-old Nigerian husband reportedly disappeared after moving to the United Kingdom, leaving her struggling to locate him so she can proceed with their divorce.
Dawn Otewell said she met Bright Emokpae, from Edo State, Nigeria, on a dating app while she was feeling lonely and depressed.
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Despite being 36 years older than Bright, Dawn said he professed his love for her and made her believe his feelings were genuine. She eventually gave the relationship a chance.
However, four years after their marriage, Dawn says she is now worried about her children’s inheritance because Bright has disappeared and refuses to sign divorce papers.
The grandmother of seven said she is also battling health problems, including heart disease, sciatica, angina and IBS, and fears what could happen to her estate if she dies before the marriage is legally ended.
Dawn said she has been unable to locate Bright so she can serve him with the necessary divorce documents.
“It’s an absolute nightmare,” Dawn, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, told The Sun UK.
“I’m still his legally married wife, but apparently, l have no right to know where he is.
“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.
“I haven’t spoken to Bright since he blocked me on social media about eight months ago.
“Our last conversation was when I told him: I know you’ve moved house and left your job and I don’t care; I just want you to sign the divorce papers.
“He replied: ‘I don’t have them anymore. I’m not going to sign them.
“In the meantime, my health is not good.
“My biggest fear is that l’I die before this is sorted out and he’ll run off with the money my three children should inherit.”
Dawn, who has not written a will, said she is worried Bright could become entitled to some of her possessions, including jewellery, cash and furniture.
Dawn said she joined dating platforms Tinder and Plenty of Fish in 2021, where she met Bright.
According to her, Bright initially introduced himself as a professional in his thirties named Brian Thomas. After they moved their conversations to WhatsApp, he told her that his real name was Bright, that he was a fashion student and that he was in his mid-twenties and from Benin, Nigeria.
Dawn said she forgave him for initially lying about his identity and age because she had fallen in love with him.
She said Bright regularly complimented her during their video calls and made her feel attractive again.
In March 2022, about eight months after they first met online, Dawn travelled to northern Cyprus, where Bright was living on a student visa.