*Akon’s long marriage to Tomeka Thiam is coming to an end, with court filings highlighting a complicated family dynamic shaped by his polygamous lifestyle and nine children. Tomeka Thiam filed for divorce on September 11, just four days before what would have been the couple’s 29th wedding anniversary.
According to documents obtained by PEOPLE, she cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split and listed their date of separation as “TBD.” The couple share a 17-year-old daughter, Journey. Thiam is seeking joint legal custody but has requested primary physical custody, with Akon receiving visitation rights. She has also asked for spousal support while requesting that the court deny Akon any financial support from her.
Akon and Thiam’s relationship dates back to their teenage years. The pair married in 1996, long before Akon gained international fame with hit songs such as “Smack That” and “Lonely.” Despite public scrutiny over Akon’s unconventional approach to relationships, the couple remained together for nearly three decades.
As The Blast reports, the divorce could be complicated by Akon’s polygamy, which he has openly defended. The Senegal-born artist has fathered nine children and has been linked to multiple women who have referred to themselves as his wives. In 2022, during an appearance on “The Zeze Millz Show,” he confirmed his family structure and beliefs. “[Polygamy is] part of our culture. Absolutely,” Akon said at the time.
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“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,” he added.
Musician Amirror previously claimed she was one of Akon’s four wives, adding to the complexity surrounding his personal life. Because polygamy is not recognized under U.S. law, the legal process of dividing assets and determining custody arrangements could become even more challenging as the case unfolds.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Talk About Bad Timing: Akon’s Wife Files for Divorce Right Before Huge Milestone—What We Know | VIDEO
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