A sheriff has issued an immediate eviction order against the self-proclaimed Kingdom of Kubala, a group of three individuals claiming to be an “African tribe,” from privately owned woodland near Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders.
The trio—Ghanaian Kofi Offeh (36), Zimbabwean Jean Gasho (42), and American Kaura Taylor—have been camping on the site for several weeks, asserting ancestral rights to the land stolen 400 years ago.
Offeh, styling himself King Atehene, Gasho as Queen Nandi, and Taylor as handmaiden Asnat, arrived in the Jedburgh area in spring 2025. After an initial eviction from council land in July, they relocated about a mile away to woods owned by David and Mary Palmer, next to an industrial estate.
The group, which has amassed over 100,000 followers on TikTok and Facebook through videos of rituals and dances, insists the Kingdom of Kubala fulfills a prophecy to reclaim land and reunite “lost tribes.
Sheriff Peter Paterson granted the warrant after the group ignored a September 8 deadline to leave, following the landowners’ court application. None attended Jedburgh Sheriff Court or had representation.
Scottish Borders Councillor Scott Hamilton, the council’s deputy leader, called it “disappointing but not surprising,” noting the group’s refusal to engage and social media allegations of local prejudice that have upset residents.
Post-hearing at the campsite, Offeh defiantly told media, “The creator of the heavens and the Earth is with us. We are not afraid of whatever the so-called court has granted.” Asked about relocation, he replied, “If the creator wants us to move, he shall find us a place.
The saga has drawn global attention, with revelations of the group’s past: Offeh, a former opera singer, and Gasho, a mother of seven, were arrested in England in 2024 for child neglect (charges later dropped after six months on remand).
Taylor, reported missing by her Texas family, joined later with her baby daughter.
Concerns over mental health have prompted offers of housing and support from the council.
