By Josh Layton
Copyright metro
A self-styled ‘African kingdom’ has been given orders to leave a new campsite they have moved to following an earlier eviction (Picture: Mike Boyd/PA Wire)
A self-proclaimed African kingdom living in a Scottish Borders area they call ‘Mambaza Woodlands’ has been given a second eviction notice.
The Kingdom of Kubala says they are reclaiming their rightful homeland after their ancestors were evicted from the Highlands 400 years ago.
Led by Kofi Offeh, 36, who calls himself King Atehene, the group had been living in woods on a hillside above the town of Jedburgh since May.
After being evicted from the land on Tuesday by sheriff officers, they moved just metres away to a new site on the other side of a fence.
Officials this afternoon informed the trio of an eviction notice requiring them to leave the site, which is owned by the council.
In footage filmed by ‘Queen Nandi,’ real name Jean Gasho, 42, they can be seen approaching the camp to serve the trio letters.
Self-styled King Atehene is one of the three members of the so-called ‘kingdom’ who have been served with eviction notices (Picture: Mike Boyd/PA Wire)
One says: ‘The council have been to court and they’re asking for an interdict and an eviction from this land, because they’re the owners.
‘So, we’ve given you two days’ notice, so you’ll have to seek legal advice.’
Although the audio is muffled, the official appears to say that if the group does not attend court, they will be evicted next week.
On Facebook, the self-styled queen wrote: ‘Happening in Mambaza Woodlands in the last hour, an Edomite man brought 3 brown envelopes and dropped them on the King as he sat peacefully on his throne.
Self-styled Queen Nandi (right) and handmaiden Asnat look oblivious to the work being carried out to remove their camp (Picture: Mike Boyd/PA Wire)
‘The man did say something about “court court”, “two days, two days”, “next week, next week”.
‘However nothing in his speech was clear to the King or the Queen as he was not coherent.’
The group’s queen, who is originally from Zimbabwe, then laughs and says, ‘this is really bizarre’, and that the envelopes will ‘obviously’ not be opened.
Her Facebook video then shows her ‘handmaiden’ arriving carrying gifts from a ‘well-wisher’ in the shape of a Co-op shopping bag and bottles of water.
The self-styled ‘King Atehene’ with his handmaiden ‘Asnat’ at their previous campsite in woods near Jedburgh (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)
The trio said after their first eviction notice that they would not recognise any official action taken to remove them.
They claim to be descendants of black Jacobites – black Highlanders living in Scotland more than 400 years ago. They say Queen Elizabeth I deported their ancestors, forcing them into exile, and they are now returning to reclaim land stolen from their ancestors.
The group also consists of ‘handmaiden’ Kaura Taylor, 21, from Texas, who calls herself Asnat, Lady Safi.
Taylor’s family have expressed their worry about their daughter’s new lifestyle, saying it ‘breaks their heart’.
Self-titled King Atehene (left), Queen Nandi (centre) and handmaiden Asnat are not complying with attempts to move them on (Picture: Mike Boyd/PA Wire)
Mr Offeh, who is originally from Ghana, said: ‘The Kingdom of Kubala cannot be destroyed, for we are helped by the creator of the heavens and the earth, our God.
‘We follow the laws of the creator — everything belongs to the ones who made it. We do not believe that any authority owns the land.
‘The earth belongs to the father.
‘We do not know about any eviction — all we know is that we are here to stay and establish our authority and power, just like our ancestors did.’
So-called King Atehene speaks to the media at the campsite in woods near Jedburgh which he claims is his rightful land (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)
Scottish Borders Council has said the group has ‘rebuffed every opportunity to engage with us’ and that ‘we can help them, but we won’t sit back and let them break the law.’
While they were in the previous location, Queen Nandi suggested locals had thrown bricks and rocks and shouted racial slurs at them.
One video she shared on social media appeared to show a woman attempting to remove their tents, with a caption claiming people were trying to ‘destroy’ their camp.
Another claimed to show ‘tents burnt to the ground by Jedburgh residents’. Firefighters can be seen in the background.
Self-titled Queen Nandi (left) and handmaiden Asnat at their first campsite in woods near Jedburgh (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)
Scott Hamilton, who represents Jedburgh on the council, has previously tried to defuse tension between locals and group.
Mr Hamilton has told the BBC: ‘Yes, the group may upset us with some of their ludicrous accusations of heritage and history, and quite frankly you don’t need even a primary school education to tell you their accusations are false, but we must rise above it.
‘Whilst our history is very important to us, it’s about how our community responds – that will define us as a community.’
Metro has approached the council for comment.
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