Grace Q. Bryant
The Board of the United Methodist University (UMU) has unanimously voted to remove Rev. Dr. Yar Gono, the University’s President; Rev. Isaac C. Padmore, the Vice President for Administration; and A. Otto Nabie, the Chief Finance Officer.
This decision comes after an investigative committee, established in October 2024, submitted its findings on allegations of administrative impropriety.
According to highly placed sources, the three officials had been suspended in September 2024 following concerns over allegation of financial mismanagement, corruption, and poor leadership.
Our insiders, further hinted that amongst the committee’s 14-point recommendations, it called for, among other things, the restructuring of the senior management and the initiation of two audits—one financial and one human resources, aimed at addressing lingering administrative issues.
Their removal follows months of employee dissatisfactions, including a series of go-slow actions in protest of delayed salaries, unpaid benefits, and a general lack of respect from the university’s leadership.
To restore stability, the Board has appointed Emmanuel F. Bailey as the interim President, effective March 1, 2025. Additionally, Joseph Boldar has been named Vice President of Finance, while Mr. Julius Innis takes over as the new Chief Finance Officer. Meanwhile, the Board has expressed confidence that the new leadership will work to restore integrity and efficiency at UMU, ensuring a more transparent and accountable administration moving forward.
By Grace Q. Bryant
The Board of the United Methodist University (UMU) has unanimously voted to remove Rev. Dr. Yar Gono, the University’s President; Rev. Isaac C. Padmore, the Vice President for Administration; and A. Otto Nabie, the Chief Finance Officer.
This decision comes after an investigative committee, established in October 2024, submitted its findings on allegations of administrative impropriety.
According to highly placed sources, the three officials had been suspended in September 2024 following concerns over allegation of financial mismanagement, corruption, and poor leadership.
Our insiders, further hinted that amongst the committee’s 14-point recommendations, it called for, among other things, the restructuring of the senior management and the initiation of two audits—one financial and one human resources, aimed at addressing lingering administrative issues.
Their removal follows months of employee dissatisfactions, including a series of go-slow actions in protest of delayed salaries, unpaid benefits, and a general lack of respect from the university’s leadership.
To restore stability, the Board has appointed Emmanuel F. Bailey as the interim President, effective March 1, 2025. Additionally, Joseph Boldar has been named Vice President of Finance, while Mr. Julius Innis takes over as the new Chief Finance Officer. Meanwhile, the Board has expressed confidence that the new leadership will work to restore integrity and efficiency at UMU, ensuring a more transparent and accountable administration moving forward.
