Asking Elon Musk for Ventilators, Inappropriate or a Nice Move?

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 29: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks at the International Astronautical Congress on September 29, 2017 in Adelaide, Australia. Musk detailed the long-term technical challenges that need to be solved in order to support the creation of a permanent, self-sustaining human presence on Mars. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

Since the outbreak of coronavirus in Nigeria, several corporate businesses, politicians, and business moguls have in their own way helped the Federal Government fight COVID-19, and deducing from the amounts declared by the contributors, over N10 billon should have been generated.

Nigerians on Twitter have expressed their disappointment following the Ministry of Finance and Budget requesting for ventilators from industrial engineer and CEO Tesla, Elon Musk.

On Tuesday, Elon Musk tweeted that “We have extra FDA-approved ventilators. Will ship to hospitals worldwide within Tesla delivery regions. Device & shipping cost are free. Only requirement is that the vents are needed immediately for patients, not stored in a warehouse. Please me or @Tesla know.”

Comment on Elon’s tweet, the Ministry of Finance and Budget tweeted, “Dear @elonmusk  @tesla, the Federal Government of Nigeria needs support with 100 – 500 ventilators to assist with #COVID19 cases rising every day in Nigeria”.

This tweet has garnered several reactions, with some hailing the move while others questioned the motive.

Here’s what Nigerians are saying:

Many Nigerians should hide their faces in shame for trying to shame the Nigerian government because it reached out to Elon musk and Tessa.

— Soonest Nathaniel (@SoonestN) April 2, 2020

Nigeria got atleast 44 Billion Naira ($108m) in donations from different billionaires & Corporations for the Covid 19 relief but the Ministry of Finance is here begging for ventilators from a Man on Twitter that won’t even notice her, This Country is a Circus with eleced Clowns. pic.twitter.com/cV5UIEUM54

— Hamdollars (@its_hammadrabiu) April 2, 2020

1 ventilator is around $10,000 =N3.5m

500 ventilators that the corrupt government is begging Elon Musk for will just be N1.7b. They lied they shared N5bn to their so called poor people just yesterday. Hopeless & heartless Govt.

— Comrade Deji Adeyanju (@adeyanjudeji) April 2, 2020

FG is begging Elon musk and Tesla for ventilators, but Innoson offered the same government to produce ventilators but they ignored him.

And you're lauding them because of Ukraine's reply. Have we done half of what Ukraine has done so far?

Where are the billions donated??

— Obi Of Onitsha?? (@cliqik) April 2, 2020

The Nigerian goverment is openly begging Elon Musk for help. I am so embarrassed.

— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) April 2, 2020

Nobody can shame anyone for begging for giveaways anymore. We are all beggars now???‍♂️

— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) April 2, 2020

Why begging from Elon Musk when Charity starts from home. You guys should fund innoson to start something. https://t.co/IlU5I36KPl

— Professor Corona ? (@Pepindshot) April 2, 2020

This same FG spend billions of naira on ‘secondary’ projects & weird allowances plus bonus while they ignore the primary ones but they’re confident enough to queue for giveaway.

I know there’s nothing bad in begging but seeing Nigeria under that tweet begging is shameful. Kai!

— Tife? (@Tife_fabunmi) April 2, 2020

Okay, so @FinMinNigeria has deleted that tweet. Those of you that were saying it's okay for them to beg, can you explain why they deleted?

Here's my stand (again). It's okay to beg. But we have an ambassador to @elonmusk's country. H should do his fucking job.

— Chxta (@Chxta) April 2, 2020

Begging Elon Musk for help but will send twitter trolls to attack Nigerian entrepreneurs who employ Nigerians, create wealth and pay taxes, just because they criticised the government. Never knew this day would come.

— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) April 2, 2020

Y'all should dead the "Ukraine too is begging Elon Musk for Ventilators" narrative.

Have we done half of what Ukraine has done so far? What have we done with the donations received?

Innoson offered this same government to produce ventilators but no one granted him audience.

— Wale Adetona (@iSlimfit) April 2, 2020

You’re begging Elon musk for ventilators but you wanted to renovate the National Assembly when you’ve not built any hospital

— KING WAVY ? (@JackFleet) April 2, 2020

D Ventilators we re begging Elon Musk for isnt evn d original one.. My country Nigeria? https://t.co/bvFPNLwYCP

— ChiefTochi (@SymonTochi) April 2, 2020

Begging Elon Musk or not for ventilators, from a single case of #COVID19 on 27th February in Lagos, we see figures gradually rising amid poverty and lack of infrastructures in our health sector caused by medical tourism, poor funding and corruption by government over the years.

— Alabi Michael (@TheMidasMichael) April 2, 2020

It’s an embarrassment.

There are Nigerians that can contact Elon Musk and procure ventilators for Nigeria, armies only with an official letterhead from the FG.

A Nigerian sits on the board of Gavi, the largest public-private health partnership in the world, contact her. https://t.co/ddRlx4QZif

— Demola Olarewaju (@DemolaRewaju) April 2, 2020

They gat money for Toyota Camry 2020 but can't afford to buy Ventilator for #COVID19 this country called ?? nigeria is a joke expecialy the Ministry Of Finance

— oluleke akinola (@oluleke_akinola) April 2, 2020