Akon’s Wife Tomeka Thiam Files for Divorce After 29 Years of Marriage

After nearly three decades of marriage, Akon and his longtime wife, Tomeka Thiam, are headed for divorce. Court documents filed on September 11, 2025, reveal that Thiam officially petitioned to dissolve their union, citing irreconcilable differences.

The filing, confirmed by outlets including TMZ, People, and Billboard, marks the end of a relationship that had been one of the few constants in the life of one of Africa’s most successful music exports.

According to the documents, Thiam is seeking joint legal custody but primary physical custody of the couple’s 17-year-old daughter, as well as spousal support. For now, Akon has remained publicly silent, offering no comment on the separation, even as the story rippled across entertainment circles.

The divorce underscores the private complexities behind the public persona of Akon, who has long been celebrated not only for his string of early-2000s hits like Locked Up and Smack That, but also for his ambitious philanthropic efforts, including Akon Lighting Africa, a project that brought solar energy to millions across the continent. While his career has taken him from global stages to boardrooms and development projects, his marriage to Tomeka had been widely perceived as a steady backdrop—making this split particularly striking.

Akon and Thiam’s relationship spans nearly 29 years, beginning long before the Senegalese-American artist rose to international stardom. Unlike many celebrity marriages that unfold under the glare of tabloids, theirs often operated quietly, shielded from constant public scrutiny. Yet, over the years, Akon’s lifestyle choices—including his candid openness about polygamy and his admission in past interviews of having multiple partners—regularly fueled speculation about how his private life intersected with his marriage.

The court filing now brings those questions into sharper focus. By citing irreconcilable differences, Thiam has taken the most common route in high-profile divorces, one that avoids assigning blame but nonetheless signals deep-seated challenges. For fans, it raises the question of whether the cracks had been visible all along, hidden beneath the glossy veneer of Akon’s public successes.

For their 17-year-old daughter, the legal request for joint legal custody but primary physical custody places Thiam as the anchor of daily life, while still ensuring Akon retains decision-making authority in critical aspects such as education, health, and upbringing. Spousal support, meanwhile, points to the financial recalibration that often accompanies the end of long marriages, particularly one linked to a figure whose net worth—once estimated by Celebrity Net Worth at over $60 million—remains under constant speculation given his diverse business ventures.

The timing of the filing is also noteworthy. September 2025 finds Akon at a transitional stage in his career, as he continues to juggle entertainment, entrepreneurship, and development work. His name has increasingly appeared less in music charts and more in business headlines, particularly tied to projects like Akon City, a futuristic development in Senegal pitched as a crypto-powered utopia, though progress on the project has been clouded by skepticism. Against this backdrop, the personal upheaval of divorce adds a layer of uncertainty to his next chapter.

Celebrity divorces often become cultural talking points, not simply because of the individuals involved but because they mirror broader questions about relationships, fame, and the endurance of love under the pressures of global visibility. In Akon’s case, the split resonates deeply with fans across continents. For African audiences, he is more than a singer; he is a symbol of global African excellence, a figure who bridged worlds. For American fans, he remains one of the defining voices of 2000s R&B and hip-hop, an era still fondly remembered. That the end of his marriage is now public knowledge reinforces the reminder that even icons are not immune to the fractures of private life.

As of now, neither Akon nor his representatives have issued statements, leaving room for speculation. Whether the divorce will proceed amicably or evolve into a protracted legal battle is unclear. What is certain is that this moment marks a definitive turning point, both for Akon as a public figure and for Tomeka Thiam, who after nearly three decades of marriage is stepping into a new chapter of her own.

In the days ahead, the world will watch closely, not only for Akon’s eventual response but for how the divorce reshapes his story—a man who built empires in music and beyond, now confronting one of life’s most personal endings.