Akon's 29-Year Marriage Crumbles: Wife Files for Divorce Just Days Before Anniversary

Akon's nearly three-decade-long marriage is coming to an end. His wife, Tomeka Thiam, has officially filed for divorce—just four days before what would have been their 29th wedding anniversary.

According to court documents obtained on Thursday, September 11, Tomeka cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split. The couple married on September 15, 1996, and share a 17-year-old daughter named Journey.

In the filing, Tomeka requested joint legal custody of Journey, along with physical custody.

She is also asking for spousal support and requested that the court not award Akon any spousal support in return. The date of their separation was listed as "TBD," DailyMail reported,

Akon, 52, has not publicly commented on the divorce filing. The musician, whose real name is Alioune Badara Thiam, rose to fame in the early 2000s with hits like "Smack That" and "Don't Matter."

While Akon's marriage to Tomeka was long-standing, he has been open about practicing polygamy, which is recognized in his native Senegal.

Akon's Polygamy Beliefs Resurface Amid Divorce News

In a 2022 interview, Akon explained, "Polygamy is part of our culture. For me, it looks normal, because it's culture for us."

According to People, he also revealed he has nine children and described his role as a provider: "My job is to raise my kids to be responsible... while I'm taking care of the family's needs. If I have time to do more, I will."

One of Akon's other partners, musician Amirror, has publicly claimed to be one of his wives. After the news of the divorce surfaced, she posted a photo with Akon on social media, featuring a diamond ring emoji and the caption set to a love song.

Amirror previously stated that Akon's wives live in different cities—Atlanta, Los Angeles, and locations in Africa—and that they operate independently.

"We all have different lifestyles. We don't have to see each other or be cool with each other," she said in an interview.

Tomeka's decision to file for divorce comes amid other recent challenges for Akon, including the reported collapse of his $6 billion Akon City project in Senegal.

Once envisioned as a futuristic, self-sustaining hub, the plan has since been scaled back due to funding and legal issues.

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Akon, Divorce