African ‘king’ deported from Scottish woodland wants to ‘take over Ghana’

The deported king of an ‘African kingdom’ who was camping on council land in the Scottish Borders now wants to ‘take over Ghana’.

Kofi Offeh, the self-proclaimed King Atehene of the Kingdom of Kubala, occupied a forest near Jedburgh until he was evicted in October.

He said the land he lived on with wife Jean Gasho, 43, who calls herself Queen Nandi, and ‘handmaiden’ Kaura Taylor, 21, was stolen from their ancestors.

Offeh, 36, arrived at Accra International Airport on Tuesday, where he told local news station Kofi TV about his plans now that he’s back.

The former opera singer said: ‘I have come to take over Ghana because I am the King of Kubala. Everywhere I land, I take dominion, where I establish my throne, so the time has come.

‘Everyone will bow before me, whether chiefs, politicians or even the police are going to serve me.’

Offeh and his queen, Gasho, 43, who is originally from Zimbabwe, arrived in Jedburgh in spring 2025.

They claim to be descendants of Black Jacobites, Highlanders who lived in Scotland more than 400 years ago. Queen Elizabeth I deported their ancestors, forcing them into exile, the tribe said.

Taylor, who later moved to the settlement 41 miles south of Edinburgh, had been reported missing by her family in Texas.

The mum’s family said Taylor came to the UK on a six-month tourist visa.

Taylor’s aunt said she was ‘heartbroken’ by Taylor’s new lifestyle, which includes being her king’s second wife.

In response, Taylor said in a video: ‘To the UK authorities, obviously I am not missing,’ she said in a video message from the camp.

‘Leave me alone. I’m an adult, not a helpless child.’

Their kingdom, in a wood they called the ‘Mambaza Woodlands’, boasted more than 100,000 followers on its since-deleted TikTok account.

They filmed themselves performing rituals to honour their god, Yahowah, bathing in the river and living a ‘simple life’.

Council officials evicted the trio from a hillside site above Jedburgh in July but they simply moved a mile further down.

King Atehene said in August last year: ‘Many people do not have the eyes to see and the ears to hear. They see things and they judge without understanding.

‘This includes the government of Great Britain, who say that culture and religion is tolerant in Great Britain, but the Kingdom of Kubala has suffered trials and tribulations at the hands of authorities, who do not understand or tolerate.’

The owners of the land, David and Mary Palmer, won a court eviction order in September – again, the tribe refused to move.

Officers relocated them to a makeshift encampment, only for them to set up a new camp on council-owned land by a wire fence.

One of the group’s final posts on Facebook showed Offeh and Taylor being arrested by immigration officers as their ‘queen’ films them in October.

In the live-stream, Gasho tells Taylor, who goes by Asnat, that she ‘loves her’, before telling Offeh: ‘I love you, my king… I’ll see you shortly.’

The post caption said: ‘We stand strong. Kubala… Kubala. We will not be defeated. We are powerful. Join us, stand with our community.’

Scott Hamilton, a local councillor, told Metro that Offeh place ‘a lot of pressure’ on the Jedburgh community.

‘In the beginning, it was treated very much as comical and people expected the group to move on,’ he said.

‘However, it soon turned more sinister when they were gaining access to schools and their online presence increased.’

Hamilton added that he is ‘pleased’ the king of the kingdom has been deported.

‘I hope he seeks professional help,’ he added, ‘but I will not be extending the usual Scottish farewell in saying haste ye back.’

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