Akon shares details about his polygamous family life

Singer Akon has talked about the structure behind his polygamous relationships, saying that communication and respect for his first wife are central to how his family dynamic operates.

Akon discussed his private life during an appearance on the We Need To Talk podcast, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Akon, who has previously spoken about polygamy and that he has nine children, said he remains the “only man” in his relationships and would not disclose exactly how many wives he has. 

The comments come months after reports emerged Tomeka Thiam, believed to be Akon’s first wife, filed for divorce in September 2025 after nearly 29 years of marriage. 

Asked how many wives he currently has, Akon said: “I’ll just leave that to your imagination.” The singer said that his wives all understood there was a hierarchy within the family dynamic and said his first wife must be respected above everyone else. 

The Senegalese-American musician added: “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.”

The 53-year-old singer said that he believed the position of the “first wife” came with sacrifices as additional partners joined the family over time. 

He said: “With new people (joining) your family, there’s going to be new attitudes, new mindsets, new behaviors. And the (first wife has) to deal with that.”