Michael Essien his power-packed performances. In the quarter-final against Nigeria, when team captain John Mensah was dismissed on the stroke of the hour for a professional foul on Nigeria's Peter Odemwingie, Essien assumed the captaincy for the remainder of the match as Ghana eventually won 2–1. He was voted as an All-Star Player during the tournament. The Team of the Tournament was decided by the Technical Study Group (TSG) after careful observations of all the tournament's matches. During an international match played against Libya on 5 September 2008, Essien ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament playing for Ghana in the World Cup qualification
Christy Essien-Igbokwe Christy Essien-Igbokwe Christy Uduak Essien-Igbokwe MFR (11 November 1960 – 30 June 2011) was a Nigerian musician and actress. In her life time, she was sometimes called "Nigeria's Lady of Songs" and was known for her song "Seun Rere". She was the first female president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN). She was also the chairwoman and managing director of Soul Train entertainment limited. Essien-Igbokwe sang her songs in Igbo, Ibibio, Efik, Hausa, Yoruba as well as in English. Essien's fluency in Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, English and her native Ibibio earned her an appeal which cut across tribal