Ghanaian ‘King’ Faces Eviction in Scotland After Declaring His Own African Kingdom
Kofi Offeh, a self-styled monarch, claims to be reclaiming stolen ancestral land in the Scottish Borders, but authorities say his occupation is illegal.
In the quiet town of Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders, a Ghanaian man has sparked a storm of controversy after declaring an “African kingdom” on Scottish soil. Kofi Offeh, 36, who refers to himself as King Atehene, insists he is reclaiming land stolen from African ancestors 400 years ago.
Offeh, accompanied by his Zimbabwean partner Jean Gasho (Queen Nandi) and an American follower known as Kaura Taylor (Asnat), set up camp on private woodland earlier this year. After being evicted, the trio simply shifted their tents a few meters across a fence — onto land owned by the Scottish Borders Council.
The group, calling their settlement the “Kingdom of Kubala”, presents the move as a spiritual reclamation and has drawn attention from over 100,000 followers on TikTok and Facebook. But local authorities have condemned the occupation as unlawful, with legal proceedings now underway to remove them.
“We cannot allow illegal occupation of public land,” said Deputy Council Leader Scott Hamilton, adding that while the council is willing to help with support services, it will not recognize a self-declared kingdom.
Ancestral Claim vs. Property Law
Offeh’s case highlights the collision between cultural and spiritual claims and modern property rights. While he frames the occupation as an act of ancestral justice, UK law requires formal ownership, tenancy rights, or recognized historical documentation to claim land. Courts have rarely, if ever, upheld purely spiritual or ancestral arguments.
Legal experts suggest the eviction is almost certain to be enforced, though the council may face pressure to handle the matter with humanitarian sensitivity.
A Wider Symbolic Debate
For some observers, the “Kingdom of Kubala” raises uncomfortable questions about colonial history and dispossession. Others view it as a fringe movement amplified by social media. Regardless, the spectacle has turned a patch of Scottish woodland into a stage for a much larger debate — one about identity, justice, and the limits of law.
As the case moves through court, one outcome appears clear: Offeh’s kingdom will not be recognized under Scottish law. But the questions he has raised — about who truly owns land, and whose history is remembered — may linger long after the tents are gone.