Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has explained why he staged a protest that forced Wolverhampton Wanderers to cancel a pre-season training session amid an ongoing transfer dispute with the club.

The incident occurred on Monday after the 25-year-old reportedly sat on the training pitch and refused to leave, preventing the team from holding its scheduled session.

The protest prompted new head coach Cesar Peixoto to call off training, while extra security was deployed at the club’s Compton Park training ground to stop the Nigerian forward from returning.

Reports indicate that Arokodare had been instructed not to train with Wolves’ first team, despite remaining under contract. The decision reportedly came amid disagreements over his proposed transfer away from the club.

Wolves are said to have accepted an offer from Turkish side Trabzonspor, while Arokodare is believed to favour a move to Italian Serie A outfit Fiorentina.

Breaking his silence in a statement shared on social media on Tuesday, the striker insisted his actions were motivated solely by his desire to continue training and honour his contractual obligations.

“Throughout my career, I have always taken great pride in conducting myself professionally and maintaining the highest training standards,” Arokodare wrote.

He added that his focus has always been on staying match-fit so he can contribute whenever called upon.

“I remain under contract with Wolves, and my only intention is to fulfil my responsibilities professionally by training, doing my job, and contributing to the team in accordance with that contract,” he said.

The standoff comes as Wolves prepare for life in the English Championship following their relegation from the Premier League last season.

The three accused persons put on trial by the Department of State Services (DSS), over their involvement in 3 Accused Persons In Oyo Kidnap Get Life Sentence

The three accused persons put on trial by the Department of State Services (DSS), over their involvement in the kidnapping of school children and teachers in Orire local government area of Oyo State have been sentenced to life imprisonment for being members of proscribed terrorist group.

Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted and sentenced to life in jail, Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar, following their admission of being associates of bandits who carried out the kidnapping.

Although they were put on trial on 10 count charges, they pleaded guilty to count 4 and 6 among others but were handed the life in jail sentence or concealing knowledge of the bandits’ activities.the kidnapping of school children and teachers in Orire local government area of Oyo State have been sentenced to life imprisonment for being members of proscribed terrorist group.

Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted and sentenced to life in jail, Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar, following their admission of being associates of bandits who carried out the kidnapping.

Although they were put on trial on 10 count charges, they pleaded guilty to count 4 and 6 among others but were handed the life in jail sentence or concealing knowledge of the bandits’ activities.

The federal government has reduced the cost of textbook assessment and ranking under the National Textbook Ranking System and directed that publishers who paid the previous, higher assessment fees be refunded.

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council announced the decision in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Prof. Salisu Shehu, on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the revised fees take immediate effect and are aimed at easing the financial burden on publishers and authors ahead of the full implementation of the National Textbook Ranking System.

Under the new rates, the assessment fee has been reduced from N2,000 to N1,500 per page, while the ranking fee has been lowered from N1 million to N750,000 per textbook title.

“The assessment fee has been reduced from N2,000 to N1,500 per page, while the ranking fee has been reviewed downward from N1 million to N750,000 per textbook title,” the statement read.

Prof. Shehu also announced that publishers who had already paid the previous assessment fee would be reimbursed for the excess amount.

“Publishers who had already paid the previous assessment fee of N2,000 per page will receive refunds of the excess payment, while the procedure for processing the refunds will be announced soon,” the statement added.

The Council further directed that all publishers and authors submitting textbooks for assessment should immediately comply with the revised charges.

“Publishers and authors submitting textbooks for assessment are to make payments based on the revised rates with immediate effect,” it stated.

NERDC urged publishers, authors and other stakeholders in the book industry to comply fully with the new fee structure.

The fee reduction comes ahead of the rollout of the federal government’s National Textbook Ranking System, a flagship education reform introduced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to improve the quality of instructional materials used in Nigerian schools.

Beginning in September 2026, only textbooks that have been assessed, approved and ranked by NERDC will be authorized for classroom use nationwide, while unranked textbooks will no longer be permitted in schools.

Speaking earlier at the unveiling of the initiative, Alausa said the policy was designed to eliminate substandard textbooks and ensure that learners and teachers have access only to high-quality, curriculum-compliant instructional materials.

He explained that although NERDC would continue to carry out its statutory responsibility of approving textbooks, approval alone would no longer be sufficient, as every approved title would undergo a rigorous national evaluation and ranking by expert committees before being recommended for use in schools.

The National Textbook Ranking System is one of the key education reforms being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education under the Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthen quality assurance in basic and secondary education