By Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja SCN, Executive Director, Nigerian Law Society-NLS.
The Americans have a coined an expression into the vocabulary of their modern English: “same difference”. It is usually used in the context of a roundabout way of saying: “we are saying the same thing but using different words”.
There is a popular Hindu tale about six blind men that were asked to describe an elephant after each of them had just previously been assisted by a guide to touch and feel different parts of the said elephant.
According to the Hindu tale, the blind man who had touched the trunk of the elephant described the elephant as a huge slithery reptile, while the blind man that touch the big leg of the elephant described it as a tree trunk.
This scenario appears to be playing out in the recent news that is trending about Anambra State of Nigeria.
Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State (2006 to 2014) has claimed that he left behind a total sum of $150,000,000 (one hundred and fifty million dollars) as savings in the coffers of Anambra State at the time of his departure as Governor.
The current Governor and government of Anambra State has retorted that at the time of his departure as Governor, Peter Obi had not yet paid salaries of Government workers amounting to over ₦300,000,000 (three hundred million naira).
Those who are good at mathematics and statistics have said that the money left behind by Peter Obi was sufficient to cover the payment of the said Anambra State government workers and still leave a balance of over twenty million naira.
So in the final analysis, it appears as if it is the same issue of the Hindu tale of blind men trying to describe the same elephant depending on their different perspective!!!
Another trending news from Anambra State that underscores and illustrates both the American expression “same difference” and the Hindu tale of blind men trying to describe an elephant is the recent disclaimer issued by the wife of the Governor of Anambra State.
It has been reported that the wife of the Governor of Anambra State issued a disclaimer that Mr. Peter Obi is not a godfather to any of their six children.
In the public disclaimer, she provided the clarification that it is only Mrs. Obi, the wife of Mr. Peter Obi that is godmother to one of their six children. She went further to clarify that it is either “communion” or “baptismal” godfather status that the said Mrs. Obi holds over the said one child. This is reported online at: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/912576-soludos-wife-reacts-to-peter-obis-godfather-claims.html
As Americans would say, “same difference”, if as Christians we accept that a married couple are indeed one flesh and blood, then it doesn’t matter whether it is Mr. Peter Obi or his wife that is the godfather to one of the children of the Governor of Anambra State and his wife.
Also, what is the difference between “communion” and “baptism” godfather?
In the final analysis, the foregoing is an apt metaphor for the paradox and contradiction when one tries to define the current status of Nigeria’s economy, it defies exact definition.
The indices shows macroeconomic growth but from a microeconomic point of view, the impact is not reflected in the lives of the majority of the average Nigerian citizen who is resident anywhere within Nigeria!!!
