Tomeka Thiam filed for divorce from Akon on Thursday, 11 September 2025, citing irreconcilable differences and listing the date of separation as "TBD." The filing came just four days before the couple's 29th wedding anniversary, which they had celebrated on 15 September 1996. The news sent shockwaves through the entertainment world, as the pair had maintained a remarkably private life together for nearly three decades.
According to court documents obtained by People, Tomeka is seeking joint legal custody and sole physical custody of their 17-year-old daughter, Journey, who was born in 2007. She has also requested spousal support from Akon, whose legal name is Aliaune Badara Thiam, and has asked the court to block any support claims from him. The case remains ongoing in court as of early 2026.
Who Is Tomeka Thiam?
Tomeka Thiam was born in the United States around 1975, making her approximately 51 years old in 2026. Very little is publicly known about her childhood, as she has always kept her early life private. She owns Salon A La Saison in Buckhead, Atlanta, which she founded in 2012. Over the years, she has built a reputation as a quietly successful entrepreneur, largely out of the public eye despite her husband's global fame.
Tomeka has also pursued a music career under the name Amirror. Her first single on Spotify, "Real Love," debuted in 2020, and she released two more singles, "Move" and "Far Away," in 2021 and 2023, respectively. She released her debut album as Amirror, titled REFLXNS, in 2024, with Akon serving as executive producer and appearing as a featured artist on "Far Away." Akon proudly promoted the album at the time, stating that it had already garnered 5 million streams on Spotify within 48 hours of release. Thiam is signed to Akon's Konvict Kulture label, making the split even more surprising to fans who had seen them work together professionally just months before the filing.
How the Relationship Began
Tomeka and Akon met in the early 1990s through her brother at a friend's apartment in Georgia. Tomeka was around 18–19 years old, and Akon, born 16 April 1973, was around 20–21. The couple married several years later on 15 September 1996, before Akon became a global star. International fame came later with the 2004 release of his debut single "Locked Up" and album Trouble.
In July 2024, the couple appeared solid at the BET Awards in Los Angeles, where they spoke openly about their long relationship with Us Weekly. Tomeka said, "The specific ingredient is really super simple. You trust the person you're with, you make sure you back them in whatever situation. Everyone's gonna have a flaw. So it's like, pick your best poison, right? Who are you willing to be with and deal with all that comes with them for the rest of your life?" Thiam also pointed to loyalty and commitment, saying, "If you know that this person is for you, then it's for you. And there's nothing that nobody can't do. 'OK, baby, where my journey has gone is where I'm going.'" Those words now carry a particular sting, given that the divorce filing came just weeks later.
Reasons for the Divorce and Akon's Polygamy
According to court documents, the date of separation is listed as "TBD," and the reason for the divorce is irreconcilable differences. Neither party has publicly stated a specific cause. The news has reignited speculation around long-standing rumours about Akon's polygamous lifestyle and numerous relationships. Akon has been open about practising polygamy and has mentioned having nine children with several women. He told Zeze Millz on The Zeze Millz Show in 2022, "[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." Tomeka had previously acknowledged the arrangement, claiming on an episode of Rie Wit the Tea that Akon's partners "don't have to see each other."
On the We Need to Talk podcast, Akon discussed his private life and confirmed he remains the "only man" in his relationships but would not disclose exactly how many wives he has. He said, "That one is the reason you even got one, two or three. She's the queen. Nobody violates wife No. 1. The moment they violate, [they're] out the door." Akon has not publicly addressed the divorce filing in detail.
Custody Battle and Financial Details
While court filings regarding the minor child highlight their daughter Journey, Tomeka and Akon share five children in total: sons Alioune, Jahvor, and Muhammad, and daughters Alianna and Journey. Akon has stated he has nine children in total across his relationships. Tomeka is asking for joint legal custody of Journey but wants primary physical custody to remain with her, with Akon receiving visitation rights. She is also requesting spousal support for herself and asking the court to block any support claims from Akon.
Online rumours suggesting Tomeka demanded a "$108 million settlement" or that Akon hid his assets by placing them under his mother's name to leave only $10,000 in his bank account are unverified social media hoaxes. No official court filings or reliable news sources substantiate these claims. In late 2025, Akon submitted a legal response opposing spousal support and requesting joint physical custody. The case remains ongoing in court.
Akon's Net Worth and Business Ventures
Akon is a Senegalese-American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of $50 million, though some sources, such as Capital Xtra, estimate it at roughly $50–60 million as of 2026. His income comes from several streams: music royalties from global hits including "Locked Up," "Lonely," and "Smack That"; record labels Konvict Muzik and KonLive Distribution, which launched the careers of artists including Lady Gaga and T-Pain; Konvict Clothing, launched in 2008; Akon City, a reported $6 billion futuristic city in Senegal powered by renewable energy and linked to his cryptocurrency, Akoin; and Akon Lighting Africa, founded in 2014 with partners Samba Battily and Thione Niang, aiming to electrify rural communities using clean solar power.
In the months following Tomeka's filing, Akon appeared on the We Need to Talk podcast and, when asked how many wives he has, laughed and said, "I'll just leave that to your imagination." He has also stirred controversy in a separate interview with The Shade Room, claiming that men are not naturally wired to be committed to a single romantic partner — arguing that male biology is designed for "breeding" rather than monogamy. Akon offered a controversial distinction between "commitment" and "faithfulness," suggesting that while men are "guilty" of being unable to commit to one woman, they can remain faithful to a primary partner. His comments drew widespread online criticism, especially given the timing of the divorce proceedings.
As of November 2025, Akon had filed a legal response opposing spousal support and seeking joint physical custody. The case was still ongoing as of early 2026, with no final resolution announced.
