Global music icon Akon is going through a significant personal shift as his wife, Tomeka Thiam, has officially filed for divorce after nearly three decades of marriage.
According to People, Thiam submitted court documents in Fulton County, Georgia, on September 11, 2025, requesting the dissolution of their marriage due to irreconcilable differences.
The couple, who share one daughter, were approaching what would have been their 29th wedding anniversary next month. In her filing, Thiam is seeking joint legal custody of their daughter but has asked for primary physical custody, granting Akon visitation rights. She is also requesting spousal support while asking the court to deny any support claims from Akon.
The divorce comes as Akon, 51, continues to publicly defend his stance on polygamy, a practice he has frequently linked to his cultural heritage. In a 2022 appearance on The Zeze Mills Show, he said, “(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. See, the flaw that the Western world made is they created all these rules without putting nature into account.”
Akon, who has nine children, has often discussed the challenges of balancing family life with his demanding career. He explained, “My job ain’t to be doing all that extra stuff and these holidays and recitals. While I’m taking care of my responsibility to make sure the family has a roof over their head and food, if I have the time to do that and show love, yes, I will do that.”
He added that technology helps him stay connected with his children: “Me showing up for my children is me being there for them financially. I’m there if I’m around. But it’s impossible to be everywhere and every place. And technology allows me to be there every day, FaceTime and other methods.”
So far, neither Akon nor Thiam has issued an official statement regarding the divorce filing.
