Authorities in Scotland are set to evict a Ghanaian man and his followers for the second time after they attempted to establish what they call the “Kingdom of Kubala” on public land.
Kofi Offeh, 36, who refers to himself as “King Atehehe,” was evicted last week from private woodland in Jedburgh, alongside his partner, Zimbabwean-born Jean Gasho (“Queen Nandi”), and American follower Kaura Taylor, described as their “handmaiden Asnat.”
After the eviction, the group simply moved their tents a few meters away, crossing into land owned by the Scottish Borders Council — sparking fresh legal action.
Deputy Council Leader Scott Hamilton condemned their actions as unlawful, saying:
“We can help them, but we won’t sit back and let them break the law.”
A ‘spiritual reclamation’
Offeh, a former opera singer, insists the Kingdom of Kubala is a spiritual act of reclamation, claiming the land was “stolen from African ancestors 400 years ago.” Speaking to BBC Scotland, he declared their mission indestructible despite repeated evictions.
The movement has attracted attention online, amassing more than 100,000 followers across TikTok and Facebook, where videos of their “pilgrimage” have gone viral.
Concerns from authorities
While their activities have sparked curiosity, they have also raised concerns. Authorities have reportedly offered housing and support services, while questions emerged after Taylor was previously listed as missing in the United States.
For now, the dispute is back in court, with the Scottish Borders Council seeking another eviction order. But for Offeh and his followers, the standoff is more than a legal battle — it is, in their words, a fight for recognition, turning a quiet Scottish town into the unlikely stage of an African kingdom’s struggle for survival.
