Tomeka Thiam, wife of acclaimed singer-songwriter Akon, has filed for divorce after nearly 29 years of marriage.
According to Billboard, Thiam cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split and lodged the petition just three days before what would have been their 29th wedding anniversary.
The filing has brought renewed attention to the “Right Now” singer’s closely guarded private life.
Court documents reveal that Thiam is seeking joint legal custody and sole physical custody of their 17-year-old daughter, Journey.
She is also requesting financial support from Akon while asking that he not be awarded spousal support.
Akon, 52, has long kept details of his marriage out of the public eye.
However, speculation has persisted about his alleged polygamy.
In a 2022 interview with E! News, the “Bananza” singer declined to confirm or deny the rumours, saying only, “I’m not confirming nor denying.”
The couple share one child together, though Akon is a father of nine in total. He has previously spoken about his parenting, even likening his situation to Nick Cannon’s.
“I’m there for every one of mine,” he said.