Behind the shocking split that ended Tomeka Thiam and Akon's 29-year marriage
Tomeka Thiam's decision to divorce Akon sent shockwaves through the entertainment world in September 2025. The couple had built a remarkably private life together over nearly three decades — making the filing all the more startling. Tomeka Thiam filed for divorce on Thursday, 11 September 2025, citing irreconcilable differences and listing their date of separation as TBD. She submitted the paperwork just four days before the couple's 29th wedding anniversary.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Profile summary
- Who is Tomeka Thiam?
- How Tomeka Thiam and Akon's relationship began
- What were their marriage secrets?
- Why is Tomeka Thiam divorcing Akon?
- Akon's polygamy and what Tomeka said about it
- How many kids does Akon have with Tomeka?
- Custody battle and divorce settlement
- Latest news
- FAQs
- Quick facts
Key takeaways
- Tomeka Thiam filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences," listing their wedding date as 15 September 1996.
- She is seeking joint legal custody and sole physical custody of their 17-year-old daughter Journey, and has requested spousal support from Akon, whose legal name is Aliaune Badara Thiam.
- Akon has been open about practising polygamy and has mentioned having nine children with several women.
- Tomeka has released music under the name Amirror, with her first single "Real Love" debuting in 2020.
- Akon has an estimated net worth of $50 million.
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Profile summary
Field | Details |
Full name | Tomeka Thiam |
Known as | Akon's estranged wife; music artist Amirror |
Birth year | 1975 |
Age (2026) | 51 |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African-American |
Occupation | Entrepreneur, salon owner, recording artist |
Business | Salon A La Saison, Buckhead, Atlanta |
Music alias | Amirror |
Husband | Akon (Aliaune Badara Thiam) |
Married | 15 September 1996 |
Children | Shares 5 children with Akon, including daughter Journey (b. 2007) |
Who is Tomeka Thiam?
Tomeka Thiam was born in the United States around 1975. 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 built a reputation as a quietly successful entrepreneur, largely out of the public eye despite her husband's global fame.
Tomeka's music career
Akon isn't the only musically inclined person in his family — Tomeka has released music under the name Amirror for several years.
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, REFLXNS, in 2024; Akon served as executive producer and appeared as a featured artist on Far Away.
Source: Getty Images
Akon proudly promoted Tomeka's 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. The creative partnership made their split even more surprising to fans who had seen them work together professionally just months before the filing.
How Tomeka Thiam and Akon's relationship began
Tomeka and the American singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer 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 tied the knot several years later on 15 September 1996. At the time, Akon had not yet become a global star — international fame came later, with the 2004 release of his debut single Locked Up and album Trouble.
What were their marriage secrets?
In July 2024, the couple appeared solid. At the BET Awards in Los Angeles, they spoke openly about their long relationship with Us Weekly:
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?
Source: Getty Images
Thiam, meanwhile, pointed to loyalty and commitment as the best way to maintain a relationship.
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.
Why is Tomeka Thiam divorcing Akon?
According to court documents People obtained, 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's polygamy and what Tomeka said about it
Source: Getty Images
Akon has been open about practising polygamy and has mentioned having nine children with several women. He has long framed his relationships as a cultural matter. Akon 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 he wouldn't disclose exactly how many wives he has.
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.
How many kids does Akon have with Tomeka?
While court filings regarding the minor child highlight their daughter Journey—who was 17 at the time of the September 2025 filing (born in 2007)—Tomeka and Akon share five children (sons Alioune, Jahvor, and Muhammad, and daughters Alianna and Journey).
In overall family statements and court filings, Akon has stated he has nine children in total across his relationships.
Custody battle and divorce settlement
According to court filings, Tomeka is asking for joint legal custody of their minor daughter 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
Source: Getty Images
Akon is a Senegalese-American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of $50 million. Some sources put the figure higher. Capital Xtra estimates his net worth 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: he founded Konvict Muzik and KonLive Distribution, which launched the careers of artists including Lady Gaga and T-Pain
- Fashion: Konvict Clothing, launched in 2008, featuring urban streetwear
- Akon City: a reported $6 billion futuristic city in Senegal powered by renewable energy and linked to his cryptocurrency, Akoin
- Akon Lighting Africa: founded in 2014 with partners Samba Battily and Thione Niang, aiming to electrify rural communities using clean solar power
Latest news
In the months following Tomeka's filing, Akon appeared on the aforementioned We Need to Talk podcast and, when asked how many wives he has, laughed and said:
I'll just leave that to your imagination.
Source: Getty Images
Akon 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.
FAQs
- Why is Tomeka Thiam divorcing Akon? Court documents list "irreconcilable differences" as the reason, with the date of separation listed as "TBD." Neither party has publicly confirmed a specific cause.
- How old is Tomeka Thiam? Tomeka Thiam was born around 1975, making her approximately 51 years old in 2026. Her exact birth date has not been made public.
- How many kids does Akon have with Tomeka Thiam? Tomeka and Akon share one child together — their 17-year-old daughter, Journey.
- How many children does Akon have in total? The American entrepreneur has stated he has seven boys and two girls, with the divorce filing confirming he has nine children in total.
- Did Tomeka know about Akon's other relationships? Yes — Tomeka previously acknowledged the arrangement on an episode of "Rie Wit the Tea," saying that Akon's partners "don't have to see each other."
- When did Akon and Tomeka get married? They married on 15 September 1996, having met three years earlier in 1993.
- Is Tomeka Thiam seeking spousal support? Yes — Tomeka asked the judge for spousal support, while also requesting to block any attempt to grant Akon spousal support.
- What is Akon's net worth? Akon has an estimated net worth of $50 million, though some sources place the figure as high as $85 million depending on how his business ventures are valued.
Quick facts
- Tomeka Thiam filed for divorce on 11 September 2025 — four days before their 29th anniversary.
- She owns Salon A La Saison in Buckhead, Atlanta, founded in 2012.
- Tomeka releases music as Amirror; her debut album REFLXNS dropped in 2024.
- Akon has received five Grammy Award nominations throughout his career.
- Akon co-founded Akon Lighting Africa in 2014 to bring solar power to rural communities across Africa.
Tomeka Thiam and Akon's 29-year marriage was marked by family, fame and a relationship that largely unfolded away from the spotlight. Their eventual split has renewed attention on the private life they built together, while Tomeka continues to carve out her own identity as an entrepreneur, salon owner, and artist.
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Source: Legit.ng
