On Cue with Kafui DEY: Winging it is not a strategy (Especially with a microphone)

There is a sentence that has derailed more events across Africa than delayed flights and stubborn generators combined. It is usually spoken with confidence, a smooth smile, and absolutely no notes.

“Don’t worry. I’ll flow.”

That sentence should worry everyone.

Poor preparation, or no preparation at all, is the second most common mistake beginner MCs make. It shows up early and announces itself boldly. Names are mispronounced. Titles are mishandled. The programme is treated like a suggestion. And somewhere in the room, an organiser quietly wonders how this all went wrong.

Let’s be honest. Flow is not magic. Flow is preparation that has learned how to relax.

The microphone is a truth serum. It reveals immediately whether you’ve done the work. The hesitation before a name. The nervous page flip. The rambling transition while you try to remember what comes next. Audiences may be polite, but they are never fooled.

On a continent where titles, protocol and hierarchy matter, preparation is not optional. Call a doctor “Mr”. Demote a traditional leader. Promote the wrong official. The room changes temperature instantly. The audience smiles, but respect has already slipped through your fingers.

Yet many new MCs believe preparation kills spontaneity. Nothing could be further from the truth. Preparation doesn’t restrict you. It frees you.

When you know the programme, you can adjust without panic. When you understand the speakers, you can introduce them with authority. When you grasp the purpose of the event, you can read the room correctly. Without preparation, you’re not improvising. You’re guessing, loudly, in public.

I once watched an MC confidently announce the arrival of a guest of honour who was already seated in the front row. The guest smiled. The audience shifted. The organiser aged five years in five seconds. That moment could have been avoided with a seating plan and a short briefing.

Professional MCs prepare because they expect things to go wrong. A speaker will be late. A video will fail. A programme item will be cut. Preparation gives you options. Without it, confusion takes the microphone.

Preparation is also a matter of respect. A board meeting is not a wedding. A state function is not a product launch. A memorial is not an awards night. Tone is not accidental. It is deliberate. When MCs ignore this, they turn important moments into uncomfortable ones.

There is also quiet arrogance in poor preparation. It assumes personality can replace diligence. It assumes charm will carry the day. It rarely does.

The best MCs arrive early. They ask questions. They confirm pronunciations. They understand protocol. Then they step on stage and make it look effortless.

That effortlessness is earned.

So the next time you are tempted to “just flow”, remember this: flowing without preparation is like driving at night with no headlights. You may move forward, but everyone else is bracing for impact.

Do the work. Respect the room. Honour the moment. And above all — stay on cue.

Kafui Dey is the author of How to MC Any Event. Contact him on 233 240 299 122 or [email protected]

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