Farewell Reviews

A Nice Way to Say GoodbyeConcert
By Seye Aluko
THISDAY Newspaper, July 22, 2004
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At a recent poignant, emotive and heart-rending concert , Rev. Father (Chief) John Sheehan (priest, entertainer and humourist) gave his last performance as he bid farewell to Nigeria's shores. In the well-packaged, well-rehearsed act, Sheehan mounted the stage of The Agip Recital Hall of the MUSON Centre in Onikan, Lagos and went through a medley of songs, discourses, rib-cracking jokes, steps and side-steps, to celebrate and say goodbye after his twelve-year tenure in Nigeria as the treasurer of The Jesuit Brotherhood had come to an end. He was now leaving on another assignment for The Brotherhood, to a far away island in the South Pacific.

In his discourses Sheehan tried to downplay the intensity of the emotions that must have assailed him in leaving Nigeria, which has become a second home for him. Yes, Nigeria has become a country he has grown to love, (and possibly to hate)! Therefore he waxed lyrical and philosophical, and even jested as he tried to communicate the exact tenor of feelings at being compelled to leave. Said Sheehan: "I have been often asked how it feels to be leaving." He paused a beat and then resumed: "Feelings are funny things." He then reeled into a number of songs on the subject of Farewell, including "Conti Parti o" (I must leave You). Sheehan however thus explained the necessity of his relocation : "Time is up, I must find new mountains to climb. No sentiments, I have to move on!"

To understand the essence of Sheehan, picture him as a white Ali Baba, the ace Nigerian comedian and compere who has revolutionised the art in this country. Sheehan is also able to wring a joke out of any situation. He is a Renaissance man (able to bring to fruition several artistic gifts, like Leonardo-da-Vinci). Sheehan is a singer, songwriter, stand-up comedian and a poet all rolled into one! He is a consummate entertainer and exults on the stage. In addition he is a priest! He possesses intimidating stage-presence: commanding gait, glittering eye, soulful and projecting tenor voice, accomplished theatrics and rib-cracking jokes. Therefore his farewell performance was a medley of masterful acts.

If there has been any organisation in Nigeria that has benefited from Sheehan's gifts the most (apart from the Jesuit Brotherhood (Roman Catholic)), that organisation must be The Musical Society of Nigeria. Here Sheehan regularly attended as member of the audience, and often times as a performer in its many concerts. At various times Sheehan was also a member of several of MUSON's committees, and an influential pivot in its fund-raising drives. He often performed with veteran concert pianist Maria Aseeva, for free, so that revenue could additionally accrue for MUSON's programmes. Therefore it was exactly his great familiarity with and his visibility at MUSON that made his farewell concert such an emotive event for the audience, as the general MUSON member would have to grapple with the reality that he would see Sheehan infrequently in the future, if at all!

At the concert Sheehan went down memory-lane about his experiences in Nigeria, and disclosed how he had come to love Nigeria's consistencies and inconsistencies (N.E.P.A, road blocks, area boys, flooding, pot-holes, etc). Towards the end of the concert, he however betrayed the dichotomy in his soul by stating: "I am sad. A part of me wants to go, and a part of me wants to stay! But every one must go on, as every new generation must redeem the nation".

And as if to reinforce this fact, Sheehan mounted the stage in the company of a talented act of young Nigerian singers called The Vocal Streams. This group comprises Stanley Okoli, Deinde Nelson-Cole, Oguchi Egbunine, Edozie Okoroji and Dele Nelson-Cole. What is remarkable about Vocal Streams is that it is an all-male singing group, and each of its members has had tutelage under the accomplished MUSON conductor Emeka Nwokedi, of The MUSON Orchestra and Choir. Furthermore, each of the singers in the Vocal Streams has won prizes and accolades at MUSON's Annual Festival Talent Hunts. Therefore Vocal Streams might appear to be an off-shoot of the MUSON Choir and a collection of talented soloists for that matter. And it is this nature of musical act that the far-sighted Sheehan is able to identify with, and he made them a scintillating cornerstone of his performance.

Vocal Streams sings acappella. Acappella is used to describe harmonious singing without accompanying musical instruments. Vocal Streams sang "Aint Misbehaving, Aint no Sunshine" When She's Gone", etc, and their saccharine-laced harmonies, and soulful mannerisms delighted the audience to no ends. Vocal Streams are particularly comfortable with Afro-American type blues, rhythm and blues, hip-hop, etc. They play the music of Satchmo (Louis Armstrong) and other well-known American composers. It is acknowledged that such singing requires a lot of practice and dedication. So Vocal Streams, as a group of young men is an example for talented youths everywhere to take their destiny in their own hands, and it is such a group that Sheehan refers to when he states: "Every new generation will redeem the nation." Sheehan wore identical uniforms with the group, when on stage with Vocal Streams.

If there is one thing that Sheehan revels in it is the use of different stage costumes when performing, and he will serially appear in Igbo native attire, followed by Yoruba, Hausa, Rivers etc. He even adorns these robes complete with ceremonial canes, beads and chieftaincy fly whisks. Sheehan is Nigerianised. He is a complete performer, dialogue, song, costumes and wit, who as a sequel and preamble to any act, is able to paint or portray an appropriate climate for his presentations. Although Sheehan has gone, because of the universality of his gifts, because of the globalisation of all countries, one expects him to return even to the MUSON stage at any time. Because for Sheehan, although the song is over, the melody lingers on!
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from a local Lagos newspaper

Sheehan, the jolly, good priest departs

“I’m leaving Lagos….” Fr. John Sheehan crooned to the audience at Muson Centre’s Agip Recital Hall last Monday night. But Sheehan’s gleeful song was rendered with a tongue in cheek. Lagos would always be on his mind just as New York has been.

In his twelve years sojourn in Nigeria, Sheehan’s life went far beyond his primary calling as a Jesuit priest: he was a member of Rotary Club of Victoria Island, serving as secretary, director of club service and director of international service at some point; he has been the treasurer for the Rotary Club of Lagos; a treasurer of both the Nigerian Field Society and the Management Committee for Legacy; he has also had several public performances including solo concerts – From Broadway to Beethoven, Sacred Songs and Silly Stuff, A Touch of Elegance, Father John’s Birthday Bash, and Father John and Friends.

Sheehan is also the Olusegun Bashorun of Ogidiland. This aspect is an ample evidence of how well he has been able to acculturise. Indeed, he is seldom seen in an attire that is not indigenous to Nigeria.

Having spent a very eventful twelve years in Nigeria, it was unlikely the American who spent many years working in professional theatre and broadcasting before enrolling to become a Jesuit would not have built some lasting friendship with various members of the community. This is self – evident in the large audience that gathered to see him perform – and of course bid him farewell – at the Father Sheehan Farewell Concert organised by the Musical Society of Nigeria. The concert which had two intervals also featured Maria Asseeva, a highly talented Russian pianist who has peromed a couple of times with Sheehan, and Vocal Streams, an acappella quintet.

Sheehan sang several ballads – romantic and tragic. Concerning a love ballad entitled I Think I’m Falling in Love, he says “Lest anyone be scandalised a reverend father is singing about falling in love, I meant, of course, I’m falling in love with you”. The audience laughed, applauded and suppressed a tear. They would rather have more of his songs and often humorous jokes. But as Sheehan reminded them in one of his songs for the night entitled Happiness: “Happiness is catching fire – flies and setting them free…”

He just had to go because “as a Jesuit Priest, he goes where he is sent”. Yet even though he is not very sure what his next assignment will be, he says it cannot possibly be as exciting as Nigeria
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070704 today:Tears of joy as American cleric, artiste holds farewell concert
By Anson Ekechi Chukwu

TEARS of love flowed freely on Monday in Lagos as an assembly of friends and admirers of American septuagenarian cleric, artiste and Balladist, Father John Sheehan (SJ) gathered in his honour.

The concert was part of the celebrations of Sheehan's 12-year stay in Nigeria and to bid the nation he had come to love and worked for, for more than a decade, a final farewell.
The concert held at the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Onikan, Lagos for the cleric, who is also the Olusegun Basorun of Ogidiland, was electric.

The performance was an unprecedented showcase of artistic talent and a scintillating demonstration of long years of musical and singing career and experience. It was probably Sheehan's best performance in Nigeria through the years.

The Guardian learnt that the cleric and humorist will finally leave Nigeria on Thursday, July 22, for the Unites States of America.

Fr. Sheehan's farewell concert, in a way, also underscored one of MUSON's fundamental objectives, which is to blend different nationalities and cultures into one joyous group. At the concert, Sheehan performed harmoniously alongside Chief Maria Asseeva, an exceptional pianist and accompanist who is also based in Nigeria.

The joint performance by an American and a Russian probably explained the large audience. The Agip Recital Hall was filled to capacity with a majority of European nationals.

The event proper was segmented into three phases, and at each interval Sheehan appeared on stage in the traditional Nigerian attires.

Every song he rendered was soul searching and said something about the wonderful time he had had in Nigeria and his gratitude to the environment he had enjoyed for 12 years.

In some of the melodious renditions in poetic verses, Father Sheeham tried to relive some of the sweet experiences and moments of joy, many of which he skillfully dramatised as a seasoned comedian and gifted story-teller.

No other performance or rendition drew greater tears from the audience than the song he entitled: "Good bye, Good Luck, God Bless you, That is All I Can Say."

A youthful musical group, the Vocal Streams, performed as a back-up. With angelic alluring voices like the Nightingale and a well-practised technique, they showed good understanding of rhythm and style. The group added colour of variety and local concept to Fr. John farewell concert, particularly during a combined performance with him.

A Jesuit priest, Fr. John has been the Regional Treasurer for the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Fathers) in Nigeria and Ghana. He served as Socius (Assistant to the Regional Superior) and was on the Board of Trustees for Loyola Jesuit College and the Jesuit Fathers of Nigeria.
A Rotarian, he has served as Secretary, Director of Club Service and Director of International Service for the Rotary Club of Victoria Island and Treasurer for the Rotary Club of Lagos.
Since coming to Nigeria, he has performed many times in the public, including a number of solo concerts, namely From Broadway to Beethoven, Sacred Songs and Silly stuff, A Touch of Elegance, Father John's Birthday Bash, and Father John and Friends.
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