Loves Mo ignoring back of runner (7)

I believe the answer is:

nilotic

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'runner' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how one could define the other.

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for nilotic that I've seen before include "Group of East African languages" , "In Africa such tongues" , "Of Africa's longest river" , "tongue of Africans" , "of African people" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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