Akon's wife files for divorce ahead of 29th anniversary
What's the story
In a surprising turn of events, singer-songwriter Akon's (52) wife, Tomeka Thiam, has filed for divorce just days before their 29th wedding anniversary. The couple reportedly tied the knot in 1996 and has a 17-year-old daughter together. According to the filings obtained by People, Thiam cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their separation and is seeking joint legal custody of their child with sole physical custody.
Legal demands
Thiam seeks spousal support
Thiam has also requested spousal support from the Smack That rapper and wants the court to deny any spousal support to Akon. The singer, whose real name is Aliaune Thiam, first rose to fame with his hit singles Lonely and Locked Up and his debut album Trouble in 2004. He later signed with Universal Motown and has been nominated for five Grammys.
Career highlights
Akon is a father to 9 children
While Akon has kept his personal life private, he revealed in a December 2022 interview that he has nine children from different women. "Communication allows me to be there every day. That's what my FaceTime phone is for." In the last few years, the Senegalese-American musician shifted his focus toward building a "futuristic" city in Senegal called Akon City. However, plans for the $6 billion project were scrapped earlier this summer after seven years of delays.
Family values
His views on polygamy
In a 2022 interview on The Zeze Mills Show, he revealed his views on polygamy. He said, "[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." He added, "See, the flaw that the Western world made is they created all these rules without putting nature into account."