Mrs. Beatrice Idebasun, a Nigerian woman from Edo State who resides in Canada, has raised alarm bells with claims of deception, emotional betrayal and abandonment against her estranged husband, Mr. Efosa Surprise Okoro, alleging that he used their marriage as a tool to immigrate to Canada before severing ties with her.
Their relationship grew from friendship to committed partnership which led them to their statutory marriage on March 23, 2023, at the Federal Marriage Registry, Benin City, Edo State, Idebasun said.
She produced a marriage certificate and photographs, telling the court the marriage was celebrated with family members, friends and loved ones and she entered the marriage with the genuine belief they were building a future together.
She said she came to Canada to study and worked hard to bring her husband to Canada through the proper channels.
Following the rejection of their initial work permit for spouses, the couple applied for a visitor visa application. That application was granted.
Idebasun said she had given her husband considerable emotional, financial and practical support through the visa process. She said she put considerable time, resources and effort into making the application a success and even offered to help him with buying his flight ticket and making travel arrangements.
But she claimed that while she offered to help, Mr Okoro repeatedly declined her help saying he would make his own travel arrangements.
He allegedly bought his flight ticket in secret and travelled to Canada without telling her when he would be leaving, what flight he would be on or when he would be arriving.
Idebasun says she was surprised to know that her husband had already safely arrived in Canada. She said that he didn’t even try to contact her when he got there, despite the fact that she had gone to so much trouble to help him with his move.
She also accused him of ignoring her efforts to contact him and providing no reason for his behaviour.
She said this situation made her feel very hurt, betrayed and abandoned after investing heavily in both their marriage and their future plans.
Idebasun said she had already made plans for them to live together in Canada and was looking forward to starting the next chapter of their lives as husband and wife.
She also said further investigations and communications revealed Mr. Okoro had made an asylum claim shortly after arriving in Canada.
She said that information that later emerged raised serious concerns about the circumstances of his immigration process. But these claims have not been independently verified. Neither have Canadian authorities made any official findings about the asylum claim.
Speaking on her decision to make the matter public, Idebasun said her intention is not to seek revenge but to ensure she is not associated with any conduct that could be perceived as immigration fraud.
“I am speaking out because I believe in the truth and accountability and the rule of law. “I feel it’s my duty to share my experience and let the proper authorities investigate the facts and find the truth after all what I did to support him,” she said.
Idebasun also claimed she had suffered severe emotional distress and incurred serious financial losses in helping support the relationship and helping her husband with his relocation plans.
She called on the relevant Canadian authorities to look into the circumstances of the case and said she is ready to provide documentary evidence to back up her claims.
Efosa Okoro did not respond to requests for comment. Speaking for her son when contacted, Mrs Gladys Okoro admitted that her son, Efosa Okoro, and his wife had been having marital problems but expressed optimism that the matter will be amicably resolved.
In her words, they are husband and wife. My son, Efosa, brought Beatrice to me to introduce her to me when they decided they wanted to get married and I was very happy. I think they are going to settle them, whatever they are having,” she said.