Tomeka Thiam files for divorce from Akon ahead of 29th anniversary

Tomeka Thiam has filed for divorce from singer Aliaune "Akon" Thiam, court papers show, ending a marriage that began in September 1996 just days before what would have been the couple's 29th wedding anniversary. The petition, filed in mid-September and obtained by news outlets, cites irreconcilable differences and names the couple's 17-year-old daughter, Journey, as the child they share.

In the filing, Tomeka Thiam asks the court to award joint legal custody and primary physical custody of Journey while granting her spousal support. She also asks the court to bar Akon from receiving any spousal support from her. The documents list the date of separation as to be determined. Reports differ slightly on the filing date, with filings reported on both September 11 and September 12, but all accounts place the action within days of the couple's September 15 wedding anniversary.

Neither Thiam nor Akon has issued a public statement about the divorce and representatives for both had not responded to requests for comment as of publication. The legal filing provides a rare public glimpse into a marriage the couple has mostly kept private despite Akon's international profile.