After nearly 30 years together, Akon’s wife Tomeka Thiam is officially ending their marriage.
According to court docs obtained by TMZ, Thiam confirmed she and Akon tied the knot back on September 15, 1996. She also noted she’s the mother of one of his children, a 17-year-old. While Akon has long been elusive about how many “wives” he’s had, Thiam has been one of his most publicly known partners.
In the filing, Thiam is asking for joint legal custody of their child but wants physical custody granted to her. She’s also seeking spousal support while making it clear Akon shouldn’t receive any in return. The singer has yet to publicly respond.
The breakup comes after years of public chatter about Akon’s stance on polygamy and his often vague comments on his relationships.
On top of the divorce news, Akon is still busy pushing forward with his ambitious Akon City project in Senegal. While reports this summer claimed it had been scrapped, Akon told TMZ there’s been “a lot of misinformation” surrounding its future.
“Well, what I can tell you is the Akon City project is under attack,” Akon said. “The impact that it’s gonna do for Africa is kind of shaking up a lot of agendas, so you’re gonna see a lot of misinformation on the internet. I would advise that you know that it’s untrue. … It’s not gonna stop. It’s continuing.”
