It's a culture in Nigeria for traders especially those pepper sellers to reject your hard earned doe simply because it's too dirty or slightly torn. On the contrary, drivers, gas station attendants, banks and some bigger firms' workers collect that same note which was rejected.
I think I was pushed to the extreme yesterday when I handed a N50 note to a tricycle rider which he blatantly refused and even threw it back at me, raining all manner of insults on me and also, chanting that he gave me a complete ride and as such I should retaliate with a good note.

Earlier, two N50 notes (including the one in question) were given to me as change by an initial tricycle rider of which I accepted in good faith and for value. The troublesome rider demanded I give him both of the notes if he must accept the first one lamenting that no one was going to accept it including gas stations.
This little thing caused a heated argument that attracted passers-by intervention coz I was not ready to kowtow in the guys nonsense. At the end of the day, the guy settled for the N50 and we departed in peace.

But then, how torn should a note be before it should be rejected? I learnt that in America, unless a note is torn into two equal parts with one part missing, you should accept it. Reverse is the case in Nigeria especially with our market women even when you give them a slightly torn note or a taped money and it's annoying.

Wear and tear does not reduce the buying power of a Naira note fa