USA: After nearly three decades of marriage, Senegalese-American singer and music mogul Akon is facing the end of a long-standing chapter in his personal life. His wife, Tomeka Thiam, has officially filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
According to legal filings obtained by TMZ, Tomeka revealed that she and Akon married in September 1996. Their union, which has endured for 29 years, produced a 17-year-old child.
In her petition, she is requesting joint legal custody of their child but is also asking for primary physical custody, meaning the child would reside primarily with her.
Tomeka is also seeking spousal support but wants the court to bar Akon from making any claims for support against her.
The filing comes after years of speculation about Akon’s marital status. The Grammy nominated singer has often spoken ambiguously about having multiple wives, a claim that has sparked curiosity and controversy.
However, Tomeka’s move to legally dissolve the marriage now offers the clearest glimpse yet into the singer’s private life.
So far, Akon has not issued any public statement on the divorce news.
The timing of the split is notable, as Akon has spent much of the past decade balancing his music career with various entrepreneurial projects, most prominently the much-hyped Akon City project in Senegal a futuristic city he once described as a real-life Wakanda.
While the news has stirred headlines globally, fans have taken to social media to express mixed feelings some sympathizing with Tomeka for finally speaking her truth, while others are stunned that the long marriage has come to an end.
As the divorce proceedings unfold, the case could shed more light on Akon’s long-rumored polygamous lifestyle and its implications for his public and private image.
For now, the family’s immediate concern is the custody arrangement for their teenage child, while the music world watches closely to see if Akon himself will break his silence.
