 ጋዜጠኞች አበበ ለምን ያለ ጫማ በባዶ እግሩ እንደሮጠ ጠይቀውት ‹‹ ... እኛ ኢትዮጵያውያን ሁሌም የምናሸንፈው በጀግንነትና በወኔ እንደሆነ ለዓለም ህዝብ ለማሳወቅ በመፈለጌ ነው...›› ብሏል።
Asked why he had chosen to continue without shoes, he answered, "I wanted the world to know that my country, Ethiopia, has always won with determination and heroism."