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
Nduese Essien Nduese Essien Nduese Essien (born 2 February 1944) was a Nigerian National Assembly representative from Akwa Ibom state from 1999 to 2007, and was appointed Federal Minister of Lands, Housing & Urban Development on 6 April 2010, when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan announced his new cabinet. Essien was born on 2 February 1944 in Nta Isip-Ikot Ibiok, Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he obtained a B.Sc in Business Administration in 1972. Essien's first job was with "The Chronicle" newspaper in the commercial department. In 1974 he became a lecturer at