JEDBURGH, Scotland (BN24) — A self-proclaimed African tribe that has repeatedly been evicted from various sites around Jedburgh, Scotland, has once again re-established its encampment, this time just meters from their previous location, claiming the land as their ancestral birthright.
Calling themselves the “Kingdom of Kubala,” the group is led by Ghanaian national Kofi Offeh, 36, who refers to himself as “King Atehehe.” Accompanying him are Zimbabwean Jean Gasho, who styles herself “Queen Nandi,” and American Kaura Taylor, who goes by “Asnat.” The trio maintains they are reclaiming land stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago, despite legal rulings ordering them to vacate the area.
The Scottish Borders Council confirmed that sheriff officers removed the group from private woodland near Jedburgh early Tuesday morning. However, not long after their removal, the group moved several metres and reestablished their camp on adjacent council-owned land. The council has responded by launching fresh legal proceedings to secure another eviction.
“This is not trespassing,” Offeh said following the relocation. “We are reclaiming what belongs to our ancestors.”
Deputy council leader Scott Hamilton said the local authority had exhausted all attempts to engage with the group. “They have rebuffed every opportunity to engage with us,” Hamilton said. “We can help them, but we won’t sit back and let them break the law.”
The sheriff’s eviction order, issued last week by Sheriff Peter Paterson, followed a string of similar disputes since the group arrived in Jedburgh in the spring. In each instance, the Kingdom of Kubala has moved from one site to another, including hillside terrain above the town and areas of woodland near an industrial estate. Each relocation has drawn legal challenges from landowners, who say they have been left with no alternative but to pursue court-backed evictions.
The latest eviction took nearly 90 minutes, involving local officials and police dismantling tents and packing up belongings. The group was removed from the left side of a wire fence and shortly after set up camp again just on the other side.
Despite mounting legal pressure, the Kingdom of Kubala remains resolute in its mission, citing both symbolic and historical reasons for its claim. Their campaign has garnered significant attention on social media, amassing over 100,000 followers across TikTok and Facebook.
Hamilton described their latest move as “disappointing but not surprising,” underscoring the council’s commitment to lawful land use while hinting at continued enforcement if the group refuses to vacate.
While legal and local opposition mounts, the Kingdom of Kubala insists its occupation is a peaceful act of reclamation, not defiance — a symbolic protest rooted in a narrative of ancestral justice.
Credit: Punching.com
