What started as a quiet woodland camp has turned into a clash between furious locals and a group of self-styled royals.
In the heart of the Scottish Borders, a woman calling herself “Queen Nandi” and her followers have set up what they claim is their own kingdom.
But their presence has sparked tension — and now confrontations with residents are spilling onto social media.
The Rise of the “Kingdom of Kubala”
Jean Gasho, a 43-year-old originally from Zimbabwe, and her husband, 36-year-old Ghanaian Kofi Offeh, known to their followers as “King Atehene,” say they are reclaiming land they believe was stolen from their ancestors.
With them is 21-year-old American Kaura Taylor, who has taken on the role of “handmaiden” and insists she is living happily under their rule. Together, the trio have declared a woodland patch as the northern base of their so-called Kingdom of Kubala.
Confrontation with Locals
Videos shared by Gasho show tense encounters with locals.
In one clip, two men with a dog confront the group, hurling insults and calling them “delusional.”
Shouting escalates as one man brands the group a “rapist cult,” while another accuses them of “playing the racist card.”
Later, more residents — including minors — gathered, shouting at the self-styled royals as they tried to carry out their rituals by a fire.
Police eventually arrived to conduct a welfare check but made no arrests.
Claims of Harassment
Speaking after the incident, Gasho said hostility was nothing new for them.
She claimed their group had faced violence before, including threats in Stockton last year.
“The Kingdom of Kubala suffers violence,” she said, insisting their faith and prayers kept them strong despite being targeted.
Offeh added that locals arrive daily to intimidate them, sometimes circling their tents with dogs or filming them while they sleep.
A History of Evictions
This latest woodland setup isn’t their first attempt at building a “royal base.”
Just weeks ago, Gasho and Offeh were evicted from council-owned land they had renamed “Mount Shungu.”
Their wandering group first appeared in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, before moving north into Scotland.
The Handmaiden’s Story
The presence of Kaura Taylor has raised further questions.
The young American left her home in Texas with her one-year-old daughter earlier this year after meeting the couple online.
Relatives back in the U.S. say she began acting strangely before disappearing in May.
The child has since been placed in the care of UK authorities, though Taylor insists she is safe, happy, and not being abused.
“Leave me alone,” she told reporters. “I am an adult, not a helpless child.”
What Comes Next
Taylor is believed to be in the UK on a six-month visa set to expire in November.
As for Gasho and Offeh, they show no signs of backing down from their woodland camp despite mounting criticism and repeated clashes with locals.
“We do not put our trust in the police,” Offeh said. “Our only protection comes from our creator.”