WILL home boy, Michael Essien miss the African footballer of the Year award again before his kinsmen?

This poser would be answered tonight at the State House Banquet Hall, Accra, Ghana where the recuperating Ghanaian will battle with his teammate at Chelsea, Didier Drogba as well as Camerounian phenomenon, Samuel Eto’O Fils for the coveted shield being sponsored by the telecommunications giant, Globacom for the fifth year running.

The African Best player award was initiated by Afrique magazine in 1970 before the Confederation of African Football (CAF) took over about two decades ago.

Essien watched in disbelief in 2007 when DD the warrior was decorated here in Accra, and would wish for his turn today except that opinion poll seems to favour his opponents.

“The race is between Drogba and Eto’O but the latter stands a chance to grab the title for the fourth time given his exploits with FC Barcelona last season.

This is a guy who won all the available trophies with Barca in 2009 and his contribution to Cameroun’s qualification for the 2010 World Cup too was remarkable,” a Ghanaian soccer fan, Opoku Albert told Tribunesports in Accra on Wednesday.

Many of the soccer fans interviewed at the Ohene Djan Stadium, Osu acknowledged that their inspirational captain who is battling with the injury he sustained at the Nations Cup in Angola, could miss it again due to what they described as “glaring evidence of exceptional performance by Eto’O”.

Eto’O now with Inter Milan won the award for three years running; 2003, 2004 and 2005 while his arch rival, Drogba equally claimed it once in 2006.

Togolese Emmanuel Adebayor won the last award held in Lagos.

The last time a Nigerian won the award was in 1999 by Nwankwo Kanu after his initial triumph in 1996.

Meanwhile, all is set for the glamorous event to be witnessed by Ghana President, Professor John Attah Mills, immediate past President, John Agyekum Kuffour and his predecessor, Jerry John Rawlings, among others.