Waste doesn’t have to be the end of the story — and for FREEE Recycle, it’s become the beginning of something extraordinary. On Tuesday, 7th October, 2025, the company hosted an art exhibition in Lagos, bringing together artists, business leaders, and sustainability advocates to celebrate five years of transforming discarded materials into creative inspiration.
The exhibition, titled “From Waste to Heritage,” showcased how recycled materials can become powerful forms of self-expression and cultural reclamation.
Over six weeks in Ibadan, five young artists worked closely with an exceptional faculty at the FREEE Recycle Residency Program. The mentors included renowned steel and metal sculptor Dotun Popoola, Jumoke Olowookere (CEO and Founder of African Creative Hub), Tunde Odunlade (Internationally Acclaimed Textile Artist), and Professor Olusegun Ajiboye (Professor of Arts at Obafemi Awolowo University), Toyeeb Ajayi (Tyre Sculptor and Contemporary Artist), and Pamela Oriyomi (Lead Curator, Museum Community Ibadan).
Together, they explored historical data and past artworks to reimagine Nigerian history and culture through recycled materials. In some cases, they even recreated some of Nigeria’s stolen artefacts and all these were displayed at the exhibition.
Among the striking pieces on display was Gift Akwajie‘s “The Children Have Gone Mad” — a mixed-media sculpture inspired by traditional Nok, Gelede, and Tiv masks. The work explores unity and cultural memory in the face of modern tribalism and environmental damage. Adesanya Emmanuel‘s “Ori Olokun” honored the Yoruba deity of the ocean, symbolizing life, death, rebirth, and resilience through recycled tyre materials.
What made this exhibition particularly special was direct engagement with artists. Attendees met Gift Akwajie, Adesanya Emmanuel, Adenike Adeshina, and Joseph Agbaje to understand the vision behind each piece and learn about their artistic process. The artists’ works were available for purchase, with all proceeds going directly to the FREEE Impact Foundation to fund school bags and sandals for children in underserved communities.
Beyond the artworks, the exhibition also featured eco-friendly products made from recycled tyres — totes, laptop bags, and slippers. These pieces demonstrated the practical possibilities of circular design in everyday life.
Managing Director Ifedolapo Runsewe spoke about the pressing challenges of waste management and environmental pollution. She explained why recycling alone isn’t enough. This insight gave birth to FREEE Recycle’s Integrated Recycling and Manufacturing (IRM) model — a zero-waste system that transforms every part of a tyre into something useful.
Since launching in 2020, FREEE Recycle has processed over 250,000 end-of-life tyres. The company’s real impact is visible in moments like these — when young artists discover their voice, when communities receive support through impact initiatives, and when waste transforms into both beauty and purpose.
The “From Waste to Heritage” exhibition was a reminder that real transformation happens at the intersection of creativity, culture, and purpose. And if FREEE Recycle’s journey is any indication, the best is still to come.
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