Carlo M. Cipolla, the Italian economic historian, once wrote a humorous yet painfully accurate essay titled The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity. Though penned decades ago, his insight perfectly explains Nigeria’s present misery. It is not merely corruption, bad leadership, or foreign manipulation that has wrecked our economy; it is the power of stupidity, unrestrained and underestimated, that has brought us here.
Cipolla’s first law warns us: “Always and inevitably, everyone underestimates the number of stupid people in circulation.” Nigerians underestimated how many among us were willing to sell their conscience for crumbs, swap their votes for rice, or cheerfully defend policies that harm them. We mocked them as “ignorant villagers” or dismissed them as “politically illiterate masses,” forgetting that stupidity is no respecter of class or degree.
The second law pierces deeper: “The probability that a certain person is stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.” This means stupidity cuts across tribes, religions, education levels, and wealth. Some of the loudest voices that justified Nigeria’s political U-turn—trading a stabilising, reform-oriented government for chaos—came from elites, professors, social media influencers, and even so-called intellectuals. We assumed the educated class would make wise choices; Cipolla reminds us that stupidity is democratically distributed.
But Cipolla’s third and fourth laws are devastating. He defined stupidity as behavior that causes harm to others while bringing no real benefit to oneself. This is precisely what Nigeria has witnessed. Citizens were manipulated into embracing policies and leaders that have destroyed the naira, collapsed businesses, and triggered unprecedented hunger—while those same citizens suffer under the weight of their decisions. Worse, rational Nigerians underestimated how destructive stupidity could be. We thought “they’ll learn,” or “things will balance out.” Instead, we are now watching an economy spiral, with food inflation beyond reason, power grids failing, and insecurity spreading like wildfire.
Cipolla’s fifth law seals the argument: “A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person… more dangerous than a bandit.” A bandit is predictable; he steals for gain. But stupidity is chaos: it votes for poverty, celebrates oppression, and attacks those who seek solutions. In Nigeria today, stupidity is not a minor inconvenience—it has become a political force. It has enthroned leaders who cannot govern, dismantled economic reforms, and placed the nation at the mercy of clueless decision-makers.
We are living proof of Cipolla’s warning: a society dominated by stupidity is doomed to decline. Nations rise when intelligent, principled citizens outnumber and outmaneuver the stupid. Nations collapse when stupidity becomes a majority voice, amplified by propaganda, tribalism, and religious manipulation.
So, where do we go from here? Nigerians must face this uncomfortable truth: no amount of oil wealth or foreign investment can rescue a country where stupidity is celebrated and rewarded. The fight for Nigeria’s future is not only against corruption or insecurity; it is a battle to awaken reason, restore moral courage, and break the cultural cycle of foolish choices.
As long as stupid people dictate elections, defend failed leadership, and normalize mediocrity, Nigeria will continue this descent. Our tragedy is not that we are poor in resources but that we are rich in folly.
May God give us wisdom to repent of our collective foolishness before this nation becomes a full-blown failed state.
Mike Udam, PhD
Teacher and Preacher
Ogoja Nigeria
Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Mike Udam, and does not represent TheLumineNews, its agent or the organization the author works for.