Global music icon Akon is facing a significant personal shift as his wife, Tomeka Thiam, has officially filed for divorce after almost three decades together.
According to court documents obtained by People on Saturday, the filing was made in Fulton County, Georgia, on September 11, 2025. Thiam cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for seeking to dissolve the marriage.
The couple, who share one daughter, were just weeks away from marking their 29th wedding anniversary. In her petition, Thiam requested joint legal custody but asked for primary physical custody, with visitation rights granted to Akon. She is also seeking spousal support and asked the court to deny any similar request from the singer.
The divorce filing comes as Akon, 51, continues to publicly defend his views on polygamy, which he has often linked to his cultural heritage. In a 2022 appearance on The Zeze Mills Show, the Senegalese-American star described polygamy as “natural” within his background:
“Polygamy is part of our culture. Absolutely. For me, it looks normal because it’s culture for us. We didn’t go outside of our African culture when we got to the Western world. The flaw the Western world made was creating all these rules without putting nature into account.”
Akon, who has acknowledged fathering nine children, has previously spoken about the challenges of balancing his demanding career with family life. While emphasizing his role as a provider, he admitted that he is not always physically present for everyday moments.
“My job ain’t to be doing all that extra stuff holidays and recitals,” he said in 2022. “While I’m making sure the family has a roof over their head and food, if I have the time to show love, yes, I will do that. Technology allows me to be there every day through FaceTime and other methods.”
As of now, neither Akon nor Thiam has publicly commented on the divorce proceedings.
