Kofi Offeh, a 36-year-old Ghanaian, claimed to be the king of an “African tribe.”
He referred to himself as King Atehene.
Offeh and two followers, Jean Gasho from Zimbabwe and Kaura Taylor from Texas, lived in a forest in Jedburgh, Scotland.
A self-proclaimed king of an “African tribe” and his followers have been removed from a forest in Jedburgh, Scotland, by immigration authorities after months of living there.
The 36-year-old Ghanaian, Kofi Offeh, who called himself King Atehene, along with Jean Gasho from Zimbabwe and Kaura Taylor from Texas, had been living in the forest since May.
The group had previously been issued two eviction notices before the authorities acted.
A new court order, dated October 1, 2025, prohibited them from returning to the private land, leading to the clearance of their camp on October 2.
Scott Hamilton, a councillor in Jedburgh, said: “The site is currently being cleared by the council. There are still a few things at play with regard to the situation, but I think this morning has been a good result for the community and for them as well in terms of the outcome.”
Offeh and Gasho stated they were living in the forest to reconnect with nature and reclaim land they believe was taken from their ancestors.
Offeh described their lifestyle: “We live a very simple life of returning to innocence. We connect to nature. We connect to the trees around us. We get grounded every morning. We bathe in the springwater. We are living a simple life of relying daily on the creator for food, shelter and clothing. We live in a tent without walls, but we are not afraid of anyone, for we have the protection of the creator, Yahowah. 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.”
Taylor, who had been reported missing by her family in Texas, served as a handmaiden to Offeh and Gasho. She changed her name to Asnat and insisted she was not missing, even though her family appealed for her return and accused Offeh and Gasho of influencing her online.
The eviction of the three individuals has brought attention to their claims and way of life.
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