LAST CHANCE FOR PEACE

Written By
Charlie Kobong

FADE IN:
 FADE IN:

1. INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

Hotel servants set up fine cutlery on a singular table in the
room. Everything is placed with fine detail as a news report
plays on the TV. We see footage from a poor warring village
and we intercut with the elegant scenery of the room.

TV REPORTER
The day is finally here. The dawn
of a peaceful era between the
Christian dominated nation of
Zibezia and the Islam dominated
nation of Budandi as the two
presidents sit down in Ghana to
sign the peace accords agreed upon
during last month's summit.
Tensions still remain high as the
troops of both armies are on
standby at the border.

2. EXT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

OCHOLA, 38. Stands arms crossed by the door. He is dressed in
complete African attire. He constantly peeps inside the room.
CHUKUEMEKA
Ochola.

OCHOLA
Good morning Mr. Prime Minister.
CHUKUEMEKA, 50s. A man with a big physique. He wears a large
suit that he dominates. Next to him is a small man carrying a
briefcase.
CHUKUEMEKA
Beautiful weather for a glorious
occasion.

OCHOLA
Yes, sir. It still feels strange
that the end is in sight.
CHUKUEMEKA
Now see a how far a united Africa
can go. Our guests are in transit.
They should be here soon.
OCHOLA
Come inside and have a seat.
CHUKUEMEKA
No. Actually. I will not be
staying.
OCHOLA
 2.

OCHOLA
What happened?
CHUKUEMEKA
Nothing. I have to go and deal with
some land issues up country.
OCHOLA
Do you have to go now?
CHUKUEMEKA
Don't worry. You can handle this.
It's just a formality, they will
come in, talk talk, sign sign, and
take pictures.
OCHOLA
What's more important than the
reunion of spilled African blood to
the motherland?
CHUKUEMEKA
The Chinese.

Chukuemeka laughs out loud, alone. He is unfazed that no one

laughs along.
CHUKUEMEKA
There is some trouble with land
owners and Chinese investors but
nothing can wrong. Incase anything
happens I am a call away and my
right hand man.

He points to the man cowering besides him.

CHUKUEMEKA
Mr. Olupot here will guide you.

OLUPOT, late 20s brings his hands to shake Ochola's hands. He

looks like every child on the first day at a new school.
OLUPOT
Nice to meet you.

Ochola shakes his hand and keeps his eye on him.

CHUKUEMEKA
Don't be deceived by his age. His
brain is older than I am.
Chukuemeka laughs again.
CHUKUEMEKA
I have to go. Remember. Humans are
like all other animals. Get food in
their bellies and they soften. But,
everything has to go fine.
Chukuemeka leaves as Ochola watches on.
 3.

Chukuemeka leaves as Ochola watches on.

3. INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

Ochola inspects the room, slightly readjusting the chairs.
OLUPOT
Shall I have them organize food for
the security of both camps.
OCHOLA
No need. This shouldn't take long.
OLUPOT
Okay.
OCHOLA
Can we have fruits on the table.
The servants dash out.
OLUPOT
They are here.

OCHOLA
Don't just stand. Go and lead them
in.
Olupot leaves. Ochola takes a deep breath. The servants come
back in with trays filled with fruits.
OCHOLA
Put them there. Hurry. Leave.

As soon as the servants clear the room. PRESIDENT ABIOLA,

70s. Walks in with PASTOR MATHEW, 40.
OCHOLA
Mr. President. Welcome to Ghana.
PRESIDENT ABIOLA
Thank you. Am told your Prime
Minister will not be joining us.

OCHOLA
That's true. Apologies but he had
to deal with urgent business. My
role today will just be natural
observer to the signing of this
historic treaty.
PRESIDENT ABIOLA
If we sign anything. Who are you
anyway?

OCHOLA
Apologies. My name is Ochola Ka--
PRESIDENT HASSAN, 78. Walks in escorted by SHEIK ABDU, 50s.
 4.

PRESIDENT HASSAN, 78. Walks in escorted by SHEIK ABDU, 50s.

OCHOLA
Mr. President. Welcome to Ghana.
PRESIDENT HASSAN
Thank you.
The two presidents walk towards each other and shake hands as
photographers takes their pictures.
OCHOLA
Please have a seat.

They sit across from each other. With their religious leaders
flanking their sides. Ochola and Olupot sit by the end of the
table occupying a middle position between the two men.
OCHOLA
Welcome gentlemen.
Ochola signals to the servants to bring the plates of fruits.
President Abiola and Pastor Mathew take a bite as President
Hassan and Sheik Abdu look on. Olupot leans forward to
whisper something to Ochola.

OCHOLA
Apologies Mr. President. I wasn't
aware that you are fasting.
Ochola signals to the servants to clear the table.
OCHOLA
(To President Abiola)
My apologies for the inconvenience.
PASTOR MATHEW
It's okay. As Christians we respect
the values of different faiths no
matter the beliefs.
SHEIK ABDU
You can eat if you want. Ramadan is
for the saved.
Pastor Mathew flashes a cynical smile. As the servants clear
the plates in front of Sheik Abdu he looks at the women's
hair with disgust. Pastor Mathew catches a glimpse of his
stare. The room goes silent.
SHEIK ABDU
Can we have the room for only the
important parties.
OCHOLA
Of course.

The photographers and the servants all leave the room. Olupot
 5.

The photographers and the servants all leave the room. Olupot
pulls out the documents from the briefcase and places them on
the table.
OCHOLA
We are here today to sign a
historic treaty between the nation
of Zibezia and Budandi. Represented
by you, the leaders of both
countries.
PRESIDENT ABIOLA
Can I read through this treaty?
OCHOLA
Yes of course. But. Uh. I assure
you nothing has been redacted from
the original documents that you
both agreed to.
PRESIDENT ABIOLA
This is Pastor Mathew. A strong man
of God. And I would like his
spiritual input on this before I
sign.

PRESIDENT HASSAN
We would also like to read through.
SHEIK ABDU
Only Allah knows all. He grants
Hikmah to whom He pleases.
OCHOLA
Of course.

Ochola signals to Olupot to pass out the large stacked

documents around. The religious leaders read through as the
two presidents share awkward glances at each other. Olupot
leans forward to ochola.
OLUPOT
I'll have them organize food for
the security teams.
Olupot leaves the room.
PASTOR MATHEW
There is a clause in here that
states that victims of the war will
be compensated for their lost
valuables. Does that include
Christians?
SHEIK ABDU
It states that all the victims will
be compensated.
(MORE)
SHEIK ABDU (CONT'D)
 6.

SHEIK ABDU (CONT'D)

We won't hold it against them,
since they were misled.
PASTOR MATHEW
He is the way the truth and the
life.
SHEIK ABDU
A lost sheep is still part of the
shepherd's flock.
PASTOR MATHEW
It is impossible for someone to
advocate for revenge and also act
righteously.
SHEIK ABDU
What do you know of Islam?
PASTOR MATHEW
I know many Christians are killed
in Budandi because of their faith.
SHEIK ABDU
Why would we strip them of the
chance of returning back to the
flock?

PASTOR MATHEW
Their torment shall be rewarded in
the next life.
SHEIK ABDU
The words of a deceitful speaker
may sound sweet, but those who are
righteous have ears that are
steadfast.
OCHOLA
Gentlemen. Please. If the
government of Budandi can give
assurances that the Christians in
the nation won't face any
persecution am sure that the
government of Zibezia will do the
same about the Muslims in Zibezia.
The room grows silent.

OCHOLA
Now can we move on.
PRESIDENT HASSAN
I want to make a change the
spelling of the word "Muslim" from
the current spelling "Moslem"
across the whole treaty.
PRESIDENT ABIOLA
 7.

PRESIDENT ABIOLA
Finally, you have stopped
pretending that you wanted to end
the war.
PRESIDENT HASSAN
You arrived here without your
Attorney General who is supposed to
sign the agreement. Don't play the
moral high ground.
PRESIDENT ABIOLA
Where is yours?
PRESIDENT HASSAN
I cannot sign an agreement that
misrepresents my views.
PRESIDENT ABIOLA
I knew it.
PRESIDENT HASSAN
What did you know?
Olupot walks back in and sits next to Ochola. They whisper to
each other as the presidents continue bickering in inaudible
dialogue.

OLUPOT
What did I miss?
OCHOLA
How can grown men be such kids?
OLUPOT
You have to do something.
OCHOLA
The Prime Minister should have been
here.
OLUPOT
But he is not. Say something.
OCHOLA
Why don't you?
Olupot falls back like a wounded puppy.

OCHOLA
I need to unite them.
Ochola stands up and slams the table, knocking a glass over
ending all the chatter.

OCHOLA
 8.

OCHOLA
Gentlemen. Apologies for the
slamming the table. The wiseman
listens before he talks. I believe
there is something like that in the
Bible and in the Quran. I am
neither a Christian nor a Muslim.
But I am a human being same as both
of you. I am African same as both
of you. The blood spilled by this
war is the same as both of you. We
will change the phrasing of
"Moslem" to "Muslim" but what will
that change if you both can't come
to understanding of the other.
Ochola walks around the room.
OCHOLA
I was raised by a Christian mom and
a Muslim father. Hearing that is a
like cancer to you all. So I know
what both your religions stand for.
Mr. President. As God's chosen
people, dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience.
Pastor Mathew shakes his head in agreement. Ochola turns to
the President Hassan.
OCHOLA
Every act of goodness is Sadaqah.
SHEIK ABDU
Sahih al-Bukhari.
OCHOLA
Yes. Let's make a goodness here.
PRESIDENT ABIOLA
It's okay we can we have the world
"Muslim" re written as they had
said.
PRESIDENT HASSAN
Shukran.

PRESIDENT ABIOLA
I hope the lawyers don't take as
long as they do.
PRESIDENT HASSAN
Of course they will. They get paid
by the hour. If it was possible
they would even add more hours to
the day.
The two share a laughter that brings a calmness to the room.
 9.

The two share a laughter that brings a calmness to the room.

The servant girl walks in with a tray and a rag. She starts
to clean.
SHEIK ABDU
Why do you dishonor yourself?

All eyes grasp on her. She stands still.

PASTOR MATHEW
She is not Muslim. What matters
most is if her spirit is clean.
SHEIK ABDU
So must we leave God's temple
dirty.
PASTOR MATHEW
You misquote me. As is your
tendency.
The servant girl picks up the tray to leave but the Sheik
holds her hand.
SHEIK ABDU
The problem with Christians is they
have deviated from Abraham to
adjust with the times but Allah is
timeless.
The servant girl starts to pull her hand away.
PASTOR MATHEW
Jesus is the way the truth and the
light.
SHEIK ABDU
Exactly. Not God. A messenger.
PASTOR MATHEW
You're hurting her hand. Is that
what your Quran teaches you. Cast
terror into the hearts of the
unbelievers.
SHEIK ABDU
So you agree that you are
unbelievers?
Pastor Mathew rises up and starts pulling his hand off her.
PASTOR MATHEW
Let her go.
SHEIK ABDU
I am just telling her that her hair
is meant to be seen by her husband
only.
The two men struggle as they each to try to pull the other
 10.

The two men struggle as they each to try to pull the other
off their hands. The presidents don't intervene.
OCHOLA
Gentlemen. This is getting out of
hand.
PASTOR MATHEW
She is a child of God.
SHEIK ABDU
All are children of Allah and
Abraham.
The servant girl pulls herself away from both men.
SERVANT GIRL
All of you leave me alone. I wear
my hair as I want because am proud
of my African heritage. My mother
wore her hair like this and so did
her mother's mothers long before
your God's came to this land.
She looks around the faces in the room as the adrenaline
drops in her body.
SERVANT GIRL
Am sorry.
She runs out of the room and an alarm goes off and security
men burst into the room.
SECURITY MAN 1
Sir. There has been a breach in
security and we have to escort the
both of you to a secure location in
the building.
PASTOR MATHEW
Will you bomb this building as
well?
SHEIK ABDU
You planned this to blame us.
The presidents are dragged out to opposite directions with
their escorts. Ochola and Olupot remain seated in the empty
room.
OCHOLA
Shit.

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY - LATER

 11.

4. INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY - LATER

Ochola and Olupot are seated causally on the floor. Ochola
reads through the Quran left behind by the sheik as Olupot
reads the Bible.
OLUPOT
How do you know how to read the
Quran?
OCHOLA
My father was a Muslim.
OLUPOT
How did you become an atheist?
OCHOLA
Am not an atheist. My mom is a
Christian. And I was raised with a
bit of both or as some would say a
bit of both is none.
OLUPOT
What is the first line in the
Quran?
OCHOLA
In the name of Allah, the
Compassionate and Merciful.
OLUPOT
For some reason I thought it would
be in the beginning was Allah.
OCHOLA
They more or less say the same
thing. Do you the problem of
growing up in an inter religious
household.
OLUPOT
What?
OCHOLA
Fasting is times two.
They share a laugh. Olupot receives a message.
OLUPOT
The building has been cleared but
both parties will not be coming
back to the table. What's the plan
now?

OCHOLA
I thought I could unite them like
my parents did.
(MORE)
OCHOLA (CONT'D)
 12.

OCHOLA (CONT'D)
Our people are dying over foreign
beliefs. Our ancestors must be
rolling in their graves.
OLUPOT
They are rolling in their graves
because you're giving up. You have
the insight to think of something.
What brought your families together
during family gatherings?
OCHOLA
We never had family gatherings. I
would meet my mom's family without
my dad and vice versa. I never
thought about that. Huh!
OLUPOT
What?
OCHOLA
I met my father's family on Sunday
and my mother's family on Friday.
Ochola stares in the distance.
OCHOLA
They would give each other space to
pray.
He stands abruptly.
OCHOLA
Have they yet left?
OLUPOT
Not yet.
OCHOLA
I have been going about this the
wrong way. Bring in Pastor Mathew
then bring in the Sheik after a few
minutes.
Olupot speeds out of the room.
LATER
Olupot walks in with the Pastor Andrew.
OCHOLA
Pastor please. Have a seat.
PASTOR MATHEW
Why do you want to see me?

OCHOLA
 13.

OCHOLA
Have a seat. Can I read you
something?
PASTOR MATHEW
We have to go.
OCHOLA
It will only take a minute.

Ochola picks up the Quran.

OCHOLA
No one is allowed to plunder these
Christians, or destroy or spoil any
of their Churches, or houses of
worship. These are the words of the
Prophet Muhammad. Peace.
PASTOR MATHEW
Just because they are words of
peace doesn't mean they will follow
them.
OCHOLA
Those who fully believe do. As
those who fully believe in the
Bible. You as a Christian have to
be the bigger person and not repay
evil with evil but with blessings.

PASTOR MATHEW
It's not my call to make.
OCHOLA
Of course it is. You have been
appointed as a watchman to the
house of Israel. Let's end this.
A knock on the door.
OCHOLA
Excuse me.
Ochola steps out.

5. EXT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY - CONTINUOUS

Ochola walks out to the Sheik.
SHEIK ABDU
What is this? We are about to
leave.
OCHOLA
I just want a minute of your time.

SHEIK ABDU
 14.

SHEIK ABDU
The talks are done. We will not be
disrespected.
He picks the bible from Olupot. The Sheik shrugs.
OCHOLA
Your religion also believes that
this is a Holy book. Yes?
SHEIK ABDU
Yes. Though the Church has misled
its people.
OCHOLA
Then why do you mislead your
people?
SHEIK ABDU
Excuse me?
OCHOLA
Why don't you follow the words of
the Prophet Muhammad?
SHEIK ABDU
Young man. I live for Allah and
lead my people in the ways of
Allah.

OCHOLA
The Prophet Muhammad says no one is
allowed to plunder these
Christians, or destroy or spoil any
of their Churches, or houses of
worship. Are these not the words of
the Prophet? You have to lead your
followers into the right path of
Allah.
The Sheik takes a deep breath in. He stands considering.

6. INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

The two presidents are signing the treaty. The Prime Minister
stands in between smiling for the cameras. The presidents
shake hands and walk out. Ochola walks over to Pastor Mathew
and Sheik Abdu.
OCHOLA
Picture please.
The two religious leaders pose with him in the middle. Ochola
picks up a Bible and gives it to the Sheik and he gives the
Quran to Pastor Mathew. As the two religious leaders leave
they all drop the books on the table. Ochola picks up both
books and walks out of the room.