Who is Onijah Robinson, the 33-year-old woman who’s refusing to leave Pakistan after failed teen romance?

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Published Feb 4, 2025 at 01:04 PM

Reading time: 3 minutes

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An American woman, currently going viral on TikTok, is stranded in Pakistan after plans to marry a 19-year-old man she met online fell apart. Refusing to leave the country, the 33-year-old has instead demanded a substantial sum of money from the Pakistani government. But who exactly is she, and what is she asking for? Let’s take a closer look at the woman behind this insane moment in internet culture and the audacious demands she’s making.

Who is Onijah Robinson?

Onijah Andrew Robinson, a 33-year-old African American woman from the United States, found herself at the centre of an international spectacle after deciding to fly to Pakistan to marry a 19-year-old man she had met online. What began as a romantic relationship with Nidal Ahmed Memon quickly spiralled into chaos when Memon’s family intervened, blocking the union and leaving Robinson stranded in Karachi. With no way forward, she refused to return home, instead demanding a substantial sum of money from the Pakistani government, claiming a grand vision to “rebuild” the country.

What happened to Onijah Andrew Robinson and her online boyfriend?

As previously mentioned, when Robinson arrived at Memon’s family home, she found it locked up and abandoned. Rather than returning to the US, she made a bold decision: she would not leave Pakistan. Instead, she staged a public sit-in outside the family’s residence, turning a deeply personal crisis into a public spectacle. The action caught the attention of local and international media, making Robinson a viral sensation almost overnight.

The footage of Robinson’s sit-in quickly went viral across Pakistan, with her confrontational presence and surprising demands causing a stir. In her videos, Robinson declared that she had a “plan” for the country. She boldly claimed that her mission was not just to return home but to “rebuild” Pakistan itself. In one viral clip, she asked the Pakistani government for 100,000 Pakistani Rupees, demanding $20,000 in cash “by the end of the week.”

“My plan is to rebuild this entire country. I’m asking for $100k, and I need $20k in cash by the end of this week. The government needs to fix these streets. It’s ridiculous here; I don’t like it,” Robinson proclaimed, shocking viewers. The 33-year-old went as far as to refer to herself as “the wife of Nidal Ahmed,” even as Memon’s whereabouts remained unclear.

Adding to the chaos, Robinson continued to insist she would travel to Dubai with her “husband” despite all signs indicating that Memon and his family had distanced themselves from her.

NGO offers to help Onijah Robinson come back home

So, why did Robinson refuse to return home despite an NGO offering to arrange a flight? What prompted her to make such grandiose claims about rebuilding an entire nation? The answers remain murky, leaving these questions unanswered. Many are left wondering whether Robinson’s actions are a product of deep frustration, a mental health crisis, or something far more complex.

As reported by The Express Tribune, her son, who has been trying to bring her back to the US, described his mother as “mentally unstable,” adding to the confusion surrounding her actions. Her mental health struggles have been brought to light, but her persistence in staying in Pakistan and demanding financial support only adds to the perplexing nature of this saga.

However, despite being offered a return ticket home, Robinson rejected the offer repeatedly. Her resistance was unwavering until she finally admitted that she was facing a financial bind. And just like that, in a recent video message, she pleaded for assistance, now asking: “I would like you guys to book my ticket back to New York. Money is short right now, and I will appreciate it.”

So, as the 33-year-old waits for a resolution, the question remains: What’s next for Robinson? Will she return to the United States and face the fallout of her actions, or will her story take another twist? Only time will tell, but for now, it seems that the saga of Onijah Robinson has only just begun.

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