Tomeka Thiam, wife of Senegalese-American singer Akon, filed for divorce on September 11, 2025, in Fulton County Superior Court, Georgia, citing irreconcilable differences after nearly 29 years of marriage, as the couple navigates tensions over his public embrace of polygamy and family dynamics.

The petition lists their wedding date as September 15, 1996, with separation noted as "TBD," and confirms they share 17-year-old daughter Journey Thiam. Thiam, 48, seeks joint legal custody but primary physical custody for Journey, with visitation for Akon, 52 (legal name Aliaune Badara Thiam), alongside spousal support for herself and a denial of any for him.

No hearing date has been set, and neither party has issued a public statement; Akon's representatives did not respond to media inquiries. Thiam, an entrepreneur and record executive born in 1975, met Akon in 1993 at age 18 and has largely remained private despite his global fame from hits like "Locked Up" and "Smack That." The couple shares Journey, part of Akon's nine children with multiple partners, including Rozina Negusei and Tricia Ana.

Akon has defended polygamy as cultural, stating in a 2022 Zeze Mills Show interview: "(Polygamy is) part of our culture. Absolutely. For me, it looks normal, because it’s culture for us." He emphasized financial provision as his paternal role: "Me showing up for my children is me being there for them financially," crediting FaceTime for connections amid his career.

The filing coincides with Akon's Akon City project in Senegal and follows reports of his multiple relationships across Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Africa.

While Akon has not addressed the split, the case may explore these dynamics in custody and support rulings, reflecting broader debates on tradition and monogamy in celebrity unions.